"Human Nature" Blog Feed

"Human Nature" Blog Feedhttps://www.conservation.org/RSS feed for news, views and features from the front lines of conservationBiodiversityOceansClimate ChangeCommunitiesScienceFinance and Tech urn:uuid:1171c094-1cdd-4596-bb6b-7258519ed434https://www.conservation.org/blog/candid-cameras-catch-a-glimpse-of-rare-wildlife BiodiversityCandid cameras catch a glimpse of rare wildlifeDeep in the mountains of Palawan, Conservation International scientists are capturing what few people ever see: the secret lives of the Philippines’ rarest species.Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:59:02 ZA blur of movement. A flash of fur. The glint of eyes in the dark.Deep in the mountains of Palawan, scientists are capturing what few people ever see: the secret lives of the Philippines’ rarest species.The mountains and islands of the Philippine archipelago harbor extraordinary numbers of species found nowhere else on Earth. Yet nearly <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/study-warns-up-to-a-quarter-of-philippine-vertebrates-risk-extinction/">a quarter</a> of the country’s vertebrates are on the brink of extinction.A recent Conservation International expedition to the rugged highlands of <a href="https://www.conservation.org/philippines/projects/mount-mantalingahan-protected-landscape#:~:text=Mount%20Mantalingahan%20is%20home%20to,be%20found%20in%20this%20range.">Mount Mantalingahan</a> offers signs of hope: the area is still pulsing with rare wildlife.“Every species we encounter here tells a story about the resilience and uniqueness of Palawan’s ecosystems,” said Erickson Tabayag of Conservation International–Philippines. “These sightings remind us why protecting Mount Mantalingahan is essential for the future of conservation in the Philippines.”Tabayag and his team, including staff from the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Area and Indigenous guides from the Mantraverse Eco-Guide Association, spent weeks trekking through steep, remote terrain to retrieve data from dozens of camera traps. Along the way, they snapped photos of the wildlife they encountered. Here are some of the rare and remarkable species they’ve found so far.Palawan eastern frog (Alcalus mariae)This river-dwelling amphibian is an “indicator species,” meaning it’s sensitive to environmental changes and signals the health of its ecosystem. Found only on Palawan, it’s rarely seen — but Tabayag’s team documented six individuals along a mountain stream, one of the few field records ever made.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_01_palawan-eastern-frog_alcalus-mariae_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=e501bb9_1" alt="" sf-size="100" />Palawan striped babbler (Zosterornis hypogrammicus)This small, high-elevation bird lives only in Palawan’s mountain forests above 1,000 meters. “Their distinct calls and active foraging behavior made them relatively easy to detect,” Tabayag said.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_02-palawan-striped-babbler-(zosterornis-hypogrammicus)_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=9548e827_1" alt="" sf-size="100" />Palawan soft-furred mountain rat (Palawanomys furvus) Among the least-known mammals in the Philippines, this species has never been recorded outside Palawan’s mountains. “We couldn’t believe that one literally walked right by our campsite,” Tabayag recalled. “It wandered near our kitchen area, scavenging for vegetable scraps.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_03_palawan-soft-furred-mountain-rat_palawanomys-furvus_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=88b6e751_1" alt="" sf-size="100" />Other frogs The team also spotted the well-camouflaged Palawan horned frog (Pelobatrachus ligayae) and the Palawan shrub frog (Philautus longicrus), seen in both mossy-green and pale color forms — evidence of the island’s extraordinary amphibian diversity.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_05_palawan-horned-frog_pelobatrachus-ligayae_1_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=8fa14cab_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_04_palawan-shrub-frog_philautus-longicrus_2_whitish-morph_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=dc4bc8fb_1" alt="" sf-size="100" />Other birds Highlights included the Palawan scops owl (Otus fuliginosus), a nocturnal species with a haunting call, and the Philippine mountain warbler (Phylloscopus nigrorum), a small, active songbird that helps control insect population.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_06_palawan-scops-owl-(otus-fuliginosus)_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=4964ed_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_07_philippine-mountain-warbler-(phylloscopus-nigrorum)_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=2ad78f5c_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /> Dazzling invertebrates Among the expedition’s most eye-catching finds were a hammerhead planarian (Diversibipalium cf. catenatum), a day-flying moth (Milionia cf. fulgida) shimmering with blue and orange, a tussock moth (Lymantria sp.) and a slender stick insect (Family Lonchodidae) perfectly disguised among twigs. “These encounters remind us how invertebrates, though often overlooked, are vital to forest health,” Tabayag said.<div data-sf-ec-immutable="" contenteditable="false" style="width:560px;height:315px;"><div data-sf-disable-link-event=""><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gYoCdRekGoA?si=DtqL2mw6iZQ2GOpk&controls=0" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div> Spectacular flora Mount Mantalingahan’s unique soils have given rise to an astonishing variety of plants, including carnivorous species found nowhere else: the Mantalingahan pitcher plant (Nepenthes mantalingajanensis), the ultramafic sundew (Drosera ultramafica), and the delicate bladderwort (Utricularia cf. striatula), whose flowers resemble sunny-side-up eggs. The team also documented vivid orchids such as Coelogyne palawanensis, Spathoglottis palawanensis, and the helmet orchid (Corybas circinatus), named for its hood-like bloom.<div data-sf-ec-immutable="" contenteditable="false" style="width:560px;height:315px;"><div data-sf-disable-link-event=""><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ol_tnJzYnKw?si=6kQxf-ImylhBFnLk&controls=0" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div> These discoveries highlight Mount Mantalingahan as one of Palawan’s last great strongholds for wildlife. But this is only the beginning of a broader biodiversity monitoring program. With thousands of images still awaiting review, Tabayag and his team believe there are many more discoveries to come.“Each photo offers another reason to protect this remarkable refuge,” Tabayag said. <img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/cr_08_sunset-view-from-the-water-source-of-paray-paray-campsite-featuring-the-bowl-shaped-singnapan-valley_erickson-tabayag-copy.jpg?sfvrsn=c0dba8d1_1" alt="" sf-size="100" /> Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this?  <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe" target="_blank">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.conservation.org/act" target="_blank">please consider supporting our critical work</a>. urn:uuid:344e89ee-9a3d-455b-9c97-5bf8fc00ff2chttps://www.conservation.org/blog/how-a-family-farm-in-the-amazon-landed-on-the-world-s-best-menu CommunitiesHow a family farm in the Amazon landed on the world’s best menuAt Maido — the Lima restaurant recently crowned the best in the world — one of the star dishes is paiche, a giant prehistoric river fish.Its journey to the table begins on a small family farm deep in Peru’s Amazon.Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:15:43 ZAt Maido — the Lima restaurant recently crowned the <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50" target="_blank">best in the world</a> — one of the star dishes is paiche, a giant prehistoric river fish.Its journey to the table begins on a small family farm deep in Peru’s Amazon.The farm, called Pucayagro, is nestled in the heart of the country’s rice production region. Like many of their neighbors, the farm’s owners, Alex González and his son, Luis, once cleared forest for rice paddies and cattle. The result was land drained of its rivers and wetlands, and wildlife that were forced to migrate elsewhere.But in recent years, Conservation International has helped bring about a dramatic transformation on the farm. Today, Pucayagro is a thriving sustainable fish farm — a form of <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-aquaculture" target="_blank">aquaculture</a> — run by a family that is determined to show other farmers that the same change is possible.“My wife and I have always loved nature, and we’ve taught our children to love plants and respect that the forest is the lungs of the world. We carry that consciousness deeply,” Alex González said. “When we understood the damage our actions were having on the forest — and our income — we felt compelled to make a change.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/jrc_3161.jpg?sfvrsn=e5b41491_1" alt="" sf-size="12117470" />© Conservation International Peru / Jaime Ruiz Caro Farmers carry a paiche from one of the ponds where it’s sustainably raised.Little by little, the family began planting native trees like aguajes — a type of palm — and açaí to restore their farm. Planting these native species has helped restore the forest’s structure, allowing water to stay in place instead of running off. In the 20 years since, streams and wetlands have gradually returned, and with them native wildlife like capybaras, lowland pacas and titi monkeys. González says the farm is home to more than 90 different bird species. “There were challenges at the beginning, but now we’re seeing the fruits of our hard work,” González said. “When there are droughts, our neighbors suffer from water shortages, but we don’t have that problem because of our reforestation efforts. Now, they’re starting to replicate our approach by planting more aguaje palms on their own land.”Planting trees had shown the family what was possible when the land was nurtured rather than exploited. Inspired by this success, Luis, Alex’s son — who studied animal husbandry at university — saw another opportunity: converting the farm into an aquaculture enterprise. He saw two clear benefits that worked hand in hand — sustainability and increased profits.With help from Conservation International’s <a href="https://www.conservation.org/peru/iniciativas-actuales/amazon-business-alliance" target="_blank">Amazon Business Alliance</a>, the González family began converting their rice paddies into aquaculture ponds, made possible because of the abundant wetlands now on their farm. The system they built is self-sustaining: water from the fish ponds irrigates the rice and corn crops, which are then used to feed the fish, creating a closed loop that keeps resources local and reduces waste.“Our income has increased five-fold as a result,” Alex said.For the González family, introducing paiche felt like a natural continuation of their work to bring the farm back to life.Harvested by the people of Amazonia for generations, paiche’s popularity in urban restaurants eventually jeopardized its survival in the wild. Aquaculture — along with more oversight on fishing — have helped meet a growing demand, while relieving pressure on wild populations.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/jrc_2445.jpg?sfvrsn=10a4314a_1" alt="Conservation International Peru / Jaime Ruiz Caro" sf-size="12596597" />© Conservation International Peru / Jaime Ruiz Caro Farmers tend to paiche in one of the aquaculture ponds at Pucayagro.Paiche is notoriously difficult to raise in captivity, especially in its early stages when it requires precise water temperatures to survive. Luis said the effort was a learning process — when the González family first started, as many as 80 percent of the young fish died within weeks. Today, thanks to special indoor tanks with controlled temperatures, more than 95 percent of the fish make it through this critical phase before being transferred safely to the larger outdoor ponds.Pucayagro is now the leading producer of paiche in the San Martín region. They sell about 1,300 pounds of seafood each month, including other native species like paco, gamitana and Amazonian mollusks. Their biggest clients include Maido — which buys 50 kilos of paiche monthly — along with other top restaurants in Lima and across northern Peru.“It's a tremendous compliment for us to know that our fish is traceable — that what we produce on our farm has become a significant product served in the best restaurants in the world,” Luis González said. “Paiche is versatile and can be transformed and served in different ways on the finest tables globally. It's truly an honor.”The González family sees sustainable aquaculture as a way to prevent deforestation in their area, and they have openly shared what they have learned with other members of their community.  Conservation International has helped them connect with other local and Indigenous groups looking to have a wider impact in their community. This includes donating young paiche and native seedlings to other farmers, visiting schools to teach children about the importance of reforestation and opening their farm to universities and businesses who want to learn more about running a nature-positive business.As the farmed paiche market is <a href="https://elpais.com/america-futura/2024-11-30/la-revolucion-del-paiche-en-san-martin.html" target="_blank">expected to grow</a> in coming years as international demand increases, the González family is proud to be part of growing a sustainable industry from the ground up.“We see enormous potential for sustainable businesses in the Amazon, but it comes with great responsibility and a lot of hard work,” Alex said. “That’s why farmers need clear economic incentives to make it worthwhile. The future looks promising as more recognize the value of sustainable production and the unique products the Amazon has to offer.”Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe"><a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a></a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act"><a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a></a>.urn:uuid:8aa0e4f5-01df-4053-9227-a1b86cb0a0a4https://www.conservation.org/blog/conservation-world-mourns-jane-goodall Biodiversity‘A profound loss’: Conservation world mourns Jane Goodall“Jane Goodall forever changed how people think about, interact with and care for the natural world,” said Daniela Raik, interim CEO of Conservation International.Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:54:56 ZJane Goodall, a titan of wildlife conservation, died Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the age of 91, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jane-goodall-obit-78698397851bc7634717206f7eba07b2" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>.The renowned primatologist died of natural causes, according to a statement from the Jane Goodall Institute.Her discoveries “revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world,” the Institute said.Her work studying chimpanzees in eastern Africa began in the early 1960s, and inspired generations of conservationists.“Jane Goodall forever changed how people think about, interact with and care for the natural world,” said Daniela Raik, interim CEO of Conservation International. “Her passing is a profound loss for our movement and our planet. Her legacy lives on, not just through memories and accolades, but in the sense of belief she inspired in many: that we can reverse climate change, halt biodiversity loss and repair the natural world.“She spent much of her life empowering that belief in young people. Now it’s on us to carry it forward.”In recent years, Goodall was an outspoken advocate for humanitarian and conservation, “known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future,” The Associated Press noted.She was also tireless, traveling nearly 300 days a year, even after she turned 90, to speak to packed auditoriums around the world. She recently appeared at New York Climate Week, and was in California on a U.S. speaking tour when she died, according to the AP.But it was her work studying chimps that she was still most known for.Goodall documented the animals using tools and doing other activities previously believed to be exclusive to humans, noting their distinct personalities, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jane-goodall-obit-78698397851bc7634717206f7eba07b2" target="_blank">the AP reported</a>. Her observations “transformed how the world perceived not only humans’ closest living biological relatives but also the emotional and social complexity of all animals, while propelling her into the public consciousness.”″What the chimps have taught me over the years is they’re so like us,” she said in 1997. “They’ve blurred the line between humans and animals.”Bruno Vander Velde is the managing director of storytelling at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. urn:uuid:50f68971-aab9-440a-a983-cd0038ca0266https://www.conservation.org/blog/conservation-international-expert-earns-global-recognition-on-time100-next ScienceConservation International expert earns global recognition on TIME100 NextConservation International’s Neil Vora was selected for TIME’s Next 100 list — alongside other rising leaders reshaping culture, science and society.Tue, 30 Sep 2025 15:31:40 Z<div>A self-described ‘<a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-new-ted-talk-doctor-prescribes-conservation">medical oddity</a>’ has found himself in an exclusive club. Conservation International’s <a href="https://www.conservation.org/experts-list/neil-m.-vora-m.d" target="_blank">Neil Vora</a> was selected for <a href="https://time.com/collections/time100-next-2025/7318838/neil-vora/" target="_blank">TIME’s Next 100 list</a> — alongside other rising leaders reshaping culture, science and society.Published annually, TIME’s Next 100 celebrates emerging voices who are redefining what’s possible across their fields — from climate advocates and tech innovators to artists and political changemakers. This year’s list honors those charting bold paths toward a more sustainable and just world.Vora, a physician and epidemiologist, is in the business of preventing future pandemics. He is at the forefront of a movement to show that human health and the health of nature <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/ahead-of-pandemic-negotiations-epidemiologist-advocates-for-nature" target="_blank">are intrinsically linked</a>. At Conservation International, he has sought to bring this message to a broader, global audience — connecting the loss and fragmentation of tropical forests and other ecosystems to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/as-planet-warms-pathogens-on-the-march">the emergence of infectious diseases</a> and tracking the human health benefits of the organization’s efforts to protect and restore nature. <img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/neil-time-100-next-1.png?sfvrsn=5522d1e5_1" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" sf-size="100" class="-align-center" width="400" alt="" sf-constrain-proportions="true" />© Julie Stahl“I’ve spent my career as a ‘disease detective,’ chasing outbreaks across the globe, and one lesson stands out: Our health cannot be separated from the health of the planet. Every step we take to protect nature is also a step to protect ourselves,” Vora said. “This recognition is not just about me — it reflects a growing understanding that people are a part of nature, not apart from nature. There is no future for humanity without nature.”Watch Vora’s 2023 TED talk <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-new-ted-talk-doctor-prescribes-conservation" target="_blank">here</a>. Read TIME’s profile <a href="https://time.com/collections/time100-next-2025/7318838/neil-vora/" target="_blank">here</a>. Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this?  <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe" target="_blank">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also,  <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act" target="_blank">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:53303513-e1be-47e0-b67f-831bfbb4d736https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-coral-bleaching OceansWhat on Earth is ‘coral bleaching’?Climate change is happening. And it’s placing the world’s reefs in peril. What can be done?Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:42:12 ZEditor’s note: From “blue carbon” to “ecosystem services,” environmental jargon is everywhere. Conservation International looks to make sense of it in an explainer series we’re calling “What on Earth?"In this installment, we explore coral bleaching, a crisis impacting the world’s reefs.I keep seeing headlines about coral reefs dying. What’s happening?Climate change is happening. And it’s placing the world’s reefs in peril.In Western Australia, scientists recently reported the worst coral bleaching ever seen, with some reefs losing up to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/12/was-longest-and-most-intense-marine-heatwave-killed-coral-across-1500km-stretch" target="_blank">90 percent</a> of their coral after a long, intense marine heatwave. At the same time, the Great Barrier Reef suffered its <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/australias-great-barrier-reef-suffers-record-coral-decline-following-mass-2025-08-05/?utm_" target="_blank">sharpest coral decline</a> in nearly 40 years, as once-colorful corals turned white and brittle. These disasters are part of a global bleaching crisis that has now affected more than <a href="https://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/research/coral_bleaching_report.php#:~:text=From%201%20January%202023%20to,is%20the%20biggest%20to%20date." target="_blank">80 percent</a> of reefs around the world.Why does heat cause corals to bleach?Well, remember, corals aren’t just colorful rocks — they’re living things, made of hundreds or thousands of individual animals called polyps. Each polyp is only a few millimeters across and is shaped a bit like a miniature sea anemone.Like most animals, they’re sensitive to big temperature swings. But there’s a strange twist behind the bleaching: Polyps host even tinier organisms inside them — microscopic algae that use sunlight to make food. The algae feed the corals, while the corals give the algae nutrients and shelter.But when the ocean gets too hot, the coral becomes stressed and <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html#:~:text=When%20corals%20are%20stressed%20by,are%20due%20to%20warm%20water." target="_blank">ejects the algae</a>. Without the algae, the coral turns ghostly white — i.e. bleaching. If the heat lasts too long, the coral starves and dies.<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/vault-images-s3/ci_51154529_full.jpg?sfvrsn=db2fd521_3" alt="" sf-size="5463967" />© Keith A. EllenbogenDead coral in the Pacific Ocean.What happens to the reef after corals bleach?When a coral bleaches, the polyps inside are either starving or already dead. What’s left behind is a kind of skeleton — the stony structures it built while alive. At first glance, a tourist visiting a famous reef may not even notice the difference, with all the branching structures still in place. But without the living coral, it’s a graveyard.But wait. Coral reefs are home to lots of fish. What happens to all of them?When reefs crumble, vibrant ecosystems vanish with them.In their healthy state, reefs are absolutely teeming with life. Scientists estimate that <a href="https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/basic-information-about-coral-reefs#:~:text=geologic%20'mesas'.-,Why%20are%20Coral%20Reefs%20Important?,point%20in%20their%20life%20cycle." target="_blank">a quarter</a> of all marine species depend on reefs at some point in their lives — from schools of colorful fish to vibrant invertebrates, sea turtles, eels, sharks and mantas.Take the reef away, and you lose that abundance. That’s bad for nature, but it’s also bad for people.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_360048696aa4db3d-4d4e-4268-83fa-d1fff3e2e01b.jpg?sfvrsn=b54cb089_3" alt="" sf-size="14602638" />© Rodolphe Holler Coral reefs support a diversity of marine life.What do coral reefs have to do with people?A lot, actually. For one thing, reefs support fisheries that feed <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/how-are-fisheries-and-coral-reefs-connected" target="_blank">hundreds of millions of people</a> around the world. Many coastal communities rely on reef fish as their main source of protein.Reefs also act like natural seawalls. Their limestone structures break up waves before they hit the shore, helping to protect coastlines from erosion and storm surges. Without them, coastal flooding would be far worse.So, what in the world do we do about it?Look, it’s simple: we have to stop heating the planet.Even a small rise in the Earth’s average temperature makes the oceans much hotter, pushing corals past their limit. Scientists say that in a world warmed by about 1.5 degrees Celsius (nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit), some reefs might still survive. But at 2 degrees — just a little hotter — 99 percent of reefs would <a href="https://phys.org/news/2025-06-hotter-future-coral-reefs-die.html#:~:text=At%201.5C%20of%20warming,that%20number%20rises%20to%2099%25." target="_blank">likely die off</a>.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_52477372_full.jpg?sfvrsn=f1b31dac_3" alt="" sf-size="14416197" />© Cristina Mittermeier/sealegacyEven a small increase in temperature can be catastrophic for coral reefs.Excuse me? If it gets hot enough pretty much all reefs could vanish?It’s heartbreaking, but yes.Corals living deeper in the ocean, at cooler depths, are definitely far less likely to bleach than those along the coast. However, they aren’t <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/little-relief-deep-heat-stressed-corals" target="_blank">immune to it</a> and (sorry, more bad news here) they face other urgent threats, like <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-high-seas-scientists-see-a-lifeline-for-coral-reefs">deep-sea mining</a>.While remote reefs look very different from their colorful shallow-water counterparts, they are still critical refuges for marine life.In 2024, a Conservation International-funded <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/deep-sea-expedition-reveals-over-100-new-species-in-the-pacific">deep-sea expedition</a> off the coasts of Chile and Peru uncovered a treasure trove of biodiversity (including more than 100 species likely new to science). It’s just one of the many deep sea, coral-laden ecosystems rarely glimpsed by humans — but potentially threatened by heat stress and mining.For years, Conservation International advocated for the recently ratified <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/landmark-high-seas-treaty-reaches-major-milestone">high seas treaty</a>, which will help establish new marine protected areas to shield international waters — and the corals they house — from increasing threats.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_40916749_full.jpg?sfvrsn=ebfb2494_3" alt="" sf-size="1992790" />© NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research A garden of coral in the Pacific Ocean 2,465 meters (8,090 feet) below the surface.How do we hold the line for coral reefs while the world sorts out climate change?Protecting existing reefs from overfishing and pollution keeps them healthy, while restoration projects can nurse damaged corals back to life.Conservation International is at the forefront of these efforts in the heart of the Asia Pacific’s Coral Triangle — the most <a href="https://www.conservation.org/asia-pacific/blog/a-dose-of-coral-positivity">biodiverse marine region on Earth</a>. Earlier this year, the initiative scored a major win when the government of Indonesia announced a deal to redirect more than US$35 million it owes the United States into coral conservation.This “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/landmark-debt-swap-to-protect-indonesias-coral-reefs">debt-for-nature</a>” swap will fund restoration in two key areas of the Coral Triangle: the Bird’s Head and Lesser Sunda-Banda seascapes. Together, these areas harbor three-quarters of the world’s coral species and more than 3,000 kinds of fish, turtles, sharks, whales and dolphins.It’s a powerful reminder that while the threats are grave, healthy reefs — and the vibrant life they support — are still within our reach if we act now.Further reading:<ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/landmark-high-seas-treaty-reaches-major-milestone">Landmark high seas treaty crosses finish line</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-ways-the-ocean-keeps-our-climate-in-check">5 ways the ocean keeps our climate in check</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-sea-level-rise">5 things you didn't know about sea-level rise</a></li></ul>Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>. urn:uuid:83bad940-0ffe-46b0-89b4-e012ec84dcb4https://www.conservation.org/blog/landmark-high-seas-treaty-reaches-major-milestone OceansLandmark high seas treaty crosses finish lineAfter decades of negotiation, the high seas treaty is finally reality. The historic agreement will pave the way to protect international waters which face numerous threats.Sat, 20 Sep 2025 13:11:33 Z<div>After decades of negotiation, the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-a-new-treaty-to-protect-the-high-seas-is-a-game-changer">high seas treaty</a> is finally reality.First adopted by the United Nations in 2023, the treaty was officially ratified by the required 60 countries on Friday. This historic agreement will pave the way to protect international waters — Earth’s least-governed ecosystems — which face numerous threats from <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/news-spotlight-how-many-fish-in-the-sea-less-than-we-thought">overfishing</a>, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/disaster-deferred-deep-sea-mining-talks-postponed">deep sea mining</a>, <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/ocean-impacts" target="_blank">climate change</a> and <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/27052025/todays-climate-plastic-pollution-seabird-health-ocean/" target="_blank">pollution</a>.“This is a major win for our oceans and all of us who depend on them,” said Monica Medina, Arnhold Fellow at Conservation International. “The high seas belong both to no one and all of us. We have the rare chance to stop the loss of nature before we lose it forever.”The high seas — waters beyond any nation’s jurisdiction — cover nearly two-thirds of Earth’s ocean, yet only <a href="https://mpatlas.org/countries/HS" target="_blank">1 percent</a> is protected. This vast and largely unexplored expanse holds more than <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/06/07/5-surprising-stats-show-why-high-seas-need-protection" target="_blank">90 percent</a> of ocean habitat and some of the planet’s richest <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-high-seas-scientists-see-a-lifeline-for-coral-reefs">biodiversity</a>.The treaty enshrines the belief that there are areas of the ocean that we must protect as a human race to survive, Medina said.“People need a healthy ocean, our way of life depends on it,” she said. “The high seas regulate currents and help keep ocean temperatures in balance — and may even hold the cures to human diseases,” she said. “It is entirely possible to balance their protection with their ability to provide for our way of life.”Now that the agreement has been ratified by 60 countries, it will become binding in 120 days. It will enable the creation of marine protected areas in waters beyond national jurisdictions, guarantee environmental impact assessments of activities like fishing and deep sea mining and ensure <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/high-seas-treaty-a-long-time-coming">scientific discoveries</a> from the high seas are equitably shared among countries.The high seas treaty has been years in the making, going all the way back to the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/law-of-sea-convention" target="_blank">1982 UN Law of the Sea Convention</a>. And it comes at a critical juncture: Without the high seas, it would be <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-protect-high-seas-take-heed-of-climate-change">virtually impossible</a> for nations to meet their goal of protecting 30 percent of the planet’s seas by the year 2030.Conservation International, a founding member of the <a href="https://www.bluenaturealliance.org/" target="_blank">Blue Nature Alliance</a> and the <a href="https://www.coralreefshighseas.org/" target="_blank">Coral Reefs of the High Seas Coalition</a>, has supported the treaty’s ratification and implementation, as well as helped shape how it can be put into practice, including identifying priority areas for protection.One of these areas is the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/deep-sea-expedition-reveals-over-100-new-species-in-the-pacific">Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges</a>, a series of deep-sea mountain ranges off the coasts of Peru and Chile — a key migration corridor for sharks, whales and turtles, and home to reef-building corals, which support thriving underwater gardens. These waters also hold deep cultural significance: Polynesian voyagers crisscrossed them for thousands of years as they explored from the West Pacific to Rapa Nui — the Indigenous name for Easter Island.According to Medina, this historic moment is also when the hard, but necessary work begins.“For the first time, the high seas are on the map for protection,” she said. “What comes next is up to us all — and the ocean’s future is brighter for it.”Further reading:<ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/high-seas-treaty-a-long-time-coming">High seas treaty ‘a long time coming’</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/why-a-new-treaty-to-protect-the-high-seas-is-a-game-changer">Why a new treaty to protect the high seas is a ‘game-changer’</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-protect-high-seas-take-heed-of-climate-change">Experts: To protect high seas, take heed of climate change</a></li></ul>Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:ca95fc3e-b54a-4d2a-aef1-4b3450720c2ahttps://www.conservation.org/blog/news-spotlight-deforestation-linked-to-dramatic-decline-in-amazon-rainfall Climate ChangeNews spotlight: Deforestation linked to dramatic decline in Amazon rainfallThe Amazon rainforest, known for lush green canopies and an abundance of freshwater, is drying out — and deforestation is largely to blame.Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:55:16 ZThe Amazon rainforest, known for lush green canopies and an abundance of freshwater, is drying out.<div>Deforestation is largely to blame, according to a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63156-0" target="_blank">new study</a>.The study, published in Nature Communications, found that roughly 75 percent of the drop in rainfall can be directly linked to deforestation, Sachi Kitajima Mulkey reported for <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/climate/amazon-brazil-drought-rain-deforestation.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.“We were expecting to see deforestation as a driver, but not this much,” Marco Franco, an assistant professor at the University of São Paulo who led the study told The New York Times. “It tells us a lot about what’s going on in the biome.”In the Amazon, more than 40 percent of the region’s rainfall comes from trees, which release water vapor into the air through a process known as evapotranspiration.It’s simple math: fewer trees means less moisture in the air.Scientists <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05690-1" target="_blank">have long known</a> about the connection between deforestation and declining precipitation, but it’s a difficult effect to study and quantify as weather changes can appear far from areas where the deforestation actually occurred.Indeed, the study also connects deforestation to higher temperatures in the Amazon, generally, finding the hottest days increased by roughly 2 degrees Celsius, in part due to deforestation.To understand the impact, the researchers pored over 35 years of annual data from key sections of the Brazilian Amazon, using satellite data and advanced analytical methods to measure changing climate and weather patterns, while sifting out other influences like evolving landscapes.Luiz Machado, a professor of climate and meteorology at the University of São Paulo and an author of the study, told The New York Times that while it’s common knowledge that climate change and deforestation have altered the Amazon, until this study, “nobody knew exactly what each of these things contributed.”The authors also note that a 75 percent drop in precipitation is an average across the Amazon Basin — areas with higher levels of deforestation experienced even greater rainfall declines.This is because years of deforestation have pushed the rainforest into a vicious cycle: As large areas are cleared of trees, the forest loses its ability to retain moisture and recycle that water back into the atmosphere. This contributes to longer periods of drought, which in turn, spur intense fire seasons that destroy even more trees.If this cycle of destruction continues, the rainforest could be pushed to an ecological <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/feb/14/amazon-rainforest-could-reach-tipping-point-by-2050-scientists-warn" target="_blank">tipping point</a>, transforming permanently into a dry savanna.The continued deforestation of the Amazon would be disastrous for the Earth’s climate. Conservation International <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-021-00803-6">studies</a> have <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-research-critical-irrecoverable-carbon-at-risk">shown</a> that the Amazon rainforest stores more irrecoverable carbon — carbon that, if emitted into the atmosphere, could not be restored in time to prevent the worst impacts of climate change — than any other region on Earth.While <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-protected-area-win-for-Amazonian-wildlife-people">new protected areas</a> are popping up around the world as countries work to meet global climate goals like <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/countries-agreed-to-protect-30-of-the-planet-now-what">30 by 30</a>, deforestation continues to run rampant. In 2024, more than <a href="https://rainforestfoundation.org/engage/brazil-amazon-fires/">40 million acres</a> of the Amazon rainforest burned, and the first six months of 2025 saw deforestation reach <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2025/07/amazon-deforestation-spikes-as-brazil-blames-criminal-fires/#:~:text=The%20numbers%20are%20part%20of,the%20first%20semester%20of%202024." target="_blank">27 percent higher</a> than the first half of 2024.As climate change makes forests both more vital and more vulnerable, protected areas remain one of our <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protected-forests-are-a-climate-powerhouse">best tools</a> to <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-drives-deforestation-and-how-can-we-stop-it">keep forests standing</a>. Conservation International recently supported the creation of three <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-protected-area-win-for-Amazonian-wildlife-people">new protected areas</a> in the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/where-andes-meet-amazon-a-new-lifeline-for-wildlife">Amazon</a>, protecting huge swaths of threatened forest and keeping vast amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere.Further reading:<ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-drives-deforestation-and-how-can-we-stop-it">What drives deforestation — and how can we stop it?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/study-protected-forests-are-a-climate-powerhouse">Study: Protected forests are a climate powerhouse</a></li></ul>Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:9a76869b-bd71-4a05-a5d1-2e7b1797b1b9https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-ways-the-ocean-keeps-our-climate-in-check Oceans5 ways the ocean keeps our climate in checkThe ocean is engine of all life on Earth, but human-driven climate change is pushing it past its limits. Here are five ways the ocean keeps our climate in check — and what can be done to help.Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:17:33 Z<div>The ocean is more than a backdrop for sunsets and surf — it’s the origin and engine of all life on Earth, responsible for regulating our climate, absorbing heat, circulating currents and producing oxygen.But human-driven climate change is pushing the ocean past its limits. As waters heat up and currents shift, a delicate balance is starting to wobble — with consequences that reach far beyond the waves.Here are five ways the ocean keeps our climate in check — and what we can do to help keep these systems running.<h2>1. It soaks up heat.</h2>The ocean is Earth’s ultimate climate buffer. Since the 1970s, it has absorbed more than <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/ocean-warming/?intent=121" target="_blank">90 percent</a> of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases, along with <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/ocean" target="_blank">about a third</a> of all human-driven carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution. Imagine how much hotter the planet would be if all of that heat were in the atmosphere.But the ocean can’t keep absorbing unlimited heat. As humans pump more carbon into the atmosphere, ocean temperatures are continuing to rise, straining the systems that have kept Earth’s climate stable. In fact, as waters continue to warm, they’re beginning to actually release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere — turning this crucial buffer into a potential amplifier of climate change.Only by cutting emissions now and protecting nature can we begin to ease this pressure and keep the ocean working in our favor.Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/heal-our-planet-protecting-nature-for-climate">Heal our planet: Protecting nature for climate</a><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_58605586.jpg?sfvrsn=c34684a0_4" alt="ci_58605586" sf-size="6573006" />© Comstock Images<h2>2. It shapes climate shocks on land.</h2>What happens in the ocean shapes how climate change is felt on land. This is because virtually every drop of rain begins in the ocean. The ocean holds about <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/water-science-school/science/how-much-water-there-earth#:~:text=About%2071%20percent%20of%20the,in%20you%20and%20your%20dog." target="_blank">97 percent</a> of all the water on Earth, making it the primary source for evaporation into the atmosphere. This constant exchange between sea and sky fuels storms, fills rivers and sustains the freshwater systems that all life depends on.But warming oceans are <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/chapter/chapter-8/?utm_" target="_blank">shifting this ancient rhythm</a>. Hotter seas speed up evaporation, sending more moisture into the atmosphere — which means heavier downpours in some regions and longer dry spells in others. From the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/can-mongolia-s-oldest-traditions-survive-a-changing-climate">Mongolian steppe</a> to the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-the-fight-to-save-a-unique-desert-tradition-meets-innovation">shrublands of southern Africa</a> and the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/amid-seismic-change-race-is-on-to-revive-earth-s-third-pole">mangrove forests of India</a>, the climate shocks on land often have their roots in record ocean heat.<h2>3. It keeps global temperatures in balance.</h2>Ocean currents act like a giant conveyor belt, carrying warm water from the tropics toward the poles and sending colder water back again. This steady circulation evens out temperatures across the globe, making much of the planet habitable. Without it, the equator would be far hotter, the poles even colder, and life as we know it would look very different.One of the most important currents is the Gulf Stream, which transports warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic, regulating the climate of Western Europe. But as melting ice sheets pour fresh water into the sea, that delicate balance of heat and salinity is being disrupted — pushing the system toward a <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-atmosphere/slowdown-of-the-motion-of-the-ocean/" target="_blank">critical tipping point</a>.We know it can happen: Around 13,000 years ago, a shutdown of the Gulf Stream plunged Europe into a sudden ice age. Today, scientists warn that human-caused climate change could trigger a similar collapse <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/gulf-stream-could-collapse-lifetime-warn-eu-wopke-hoekstra/" target="_blank">within our lifetime</a>.Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-sea-level-rise">5 things you didn’t know about sea-level rise</a><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_38570359.jpg?sfvrsn=87a76b83_4" alt="ci_38570359" sf-size="4352260" />© Levi S. Norton<h2>4. It produces oxygen.</h2>The ocean is full of tiny marine plants known as phytoplankton that are responsible for generating about <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html" target="_blank">half of the world’s oxygen supply</a>.This isn’t a new role. Billions of years ago, microscopic organisms in the ocean began releasing oxygen, gradually transforming Earth’s atmosphere into one that could support complex life. Without them, neither humans nor many of the species we know today would exist. Now, that life-support system is under pressure. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification are threatening species of plankton, which are also the base of the marine food web. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02718-y?utm_" target="_blank">Heatwaves</a> can trigger massive die-offs, while <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2015/ocean-acidification-phytoplankton-0720?" target="_blank">excess carbon</a> in the water makes it harder for plankton and other marine life to thrive. If these organisms disappear, the effects on the food web ripple all the way up — through marine ecosystems, into human economies and even into the air we breathe.Luckily, science shows that healthy and diverse ecosystems are <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250820000805.htm?" target="_blank">more resilient</a> and tend to recover better from climate stressors like heatwaves and acidification. Through the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/blue-nature-alliance">Blue Nature Alliance</a>, Conservation International and partners have launched an unprecedented effort to double the amount of ocean area under protection — from the glacial waters of Antarctica’s Southern Ocean to the teeming tropical shores of Costa Rica.<h2>5. It locks away carbon in coastal ecosystems</h2>Where land meets sea, coastal ecosystems like mangroves, seagrass meadows and tidal marshes act as powerful carbon sinks. They absorb massive amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and lock it away in waterlogged soils, keeping it out of the air and slowing climate change. These “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/our-blue-carbon-program">blue carbon</a>” ecosystems also protect coastlines from storm surges and sea-level rise, support fisheries and sustain livelihoods for local communities.<div data-sf-ec-immutable="" contenteditable="false" style="width:600px;height:340px;display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" class="-align-center"><div data-sf-disable-link-event=""><iframe width="600" height="340" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b9DZMpift_E?si=6ieh8ABV_XTf8Gby" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div>In Costa Rica — a country whose ocean territory is ten times larger than its landmass — Conservation International is helping develop the world’s first national blueprint for mangrove protection and management.This “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/costa-rica/en/resources">national blue carbon strategy</a>” is guiding restoration in places like the Gulf of Nicoya, on the country’s Pacific coast. Years ago, huge swaths of mangroves were cleared to make way for sugar plantations and shrimp farms. To bring them back, Conservation International and the local community are digging channels — by hand — to restore the natural flow of tidal water. The idea is that by creating the right ecological conditions, the mangroves will come back on their own. The approach is catching on — Mexico has already <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-save-a-dying-forest-this-town-dug-in">taken note</a>.<img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/costarica_islachira_franciscoazofeifa_2023_i.jpg?sfvrsn=346a54e2_3" sf-constrain-proportions="true" width="844" alt="" sf-size="33618662" />© Francisco AzofeifaCommunity members dig channels by hand to restore the natural flow of water.In the Gulf of Nicoya, mangroves provide roughly US$40,747 per hectare annually in combined benefits: food, coastal protection and climate regulation. As climate change accelerates, these coastal forests are more important than ever, giving communities a fighting chance.Want to support work that protects oceans, coastlines and the people who depend on them? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">Here’s one way</a>.Further reading:<ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-sea-level-rise">5 things you didn’t know about sea-level rise</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-save-a-dying-forest-this-town-dug-in">To save a dying forest, this town dug in</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/news-spotlight-climate-change-is-coming-for-pacific-tuna">Climate change is coming for Pacific tuna</a></li></ul>Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:c46c41b3-280e-4987-9182-a073499cb82ahttps://www.conservation.org/blog/off-mexico-s-coast-divers-nab-biggest-ghost-yet BiodiversityCommunitiesOff Mexico’s coast, divers nab biggest ‘ghost’ yetIn a grueling and delicate dance, a team led by Conservation International removes a massive undersea killer.Wed, 27 Aug 2025 19:51:06 Z<div>When Edgardo Ochoa woke up in the early hours of August 20, he had a good feeling.The palm trees outside his window were still, signaling a calm day ahead.For two days, Ochoa, a dive specialist at Conservation International, had worked alongside 16 other divers to remove an abandoned 90-meter-long fishing net (300 feet) — nearly the length of a soccer field — that had become a deadly trap for marine animals. The process had been more complex than expected.“I somewhat naively thought we’d be able to remove the net in a couple of dives,” said Ochoa, who led the operation. “But after years on the seafloor, the net was weighed down by sand and marine life like sea stars, seahorses, snails and sea urchins that now occupied the net and needed to be moved to a safe location.”It took more than 40 hours underwater to finally pull the nearly 2-ton net out of the Espíritu Santo Archipelago National Park, a marine protected area off the coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico.“This was one of the toughest removals I’ve been part of, but also one of the most rewarding,” Ochoa said. “When I saw the ship pull it out of the water, I felt so relieved, like a mountain of tension was leaving my body. We finally did it.”<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/redespi-ritusanto-ci-arturo-herna-ndez-12.jpg?sfvrsn=6adae76a_3" alt="" sf-size="6132455" />© Arturo Hernandez Sixteen divers helped remove the ghost net over the course of three days.The operation was far from a solo endeavor.For years, Conservation International-México has led the charge against one of the deadliest forms of marine waste — abandoned fishing gear — by training divers, including the park rangers who patrol the protected area. Building on that groundwork, this latest mission spanned about 60 dives and united divers from Conservation International-México, the National Commission of Protected Areas, the Mexican navy and the marine nonprofit COBI.Ochoa has had his eye on this net for five years, after the local community alerted him of its presence. It is what is known as a “ghost net,” abandoned fishing gear that <a href="https://www.marineconservation.org.au/the-impact-of-ghost-nets-on-ocean-wildlife/?_ga=2.15727285.2098732207.1755549209-215617131.1730130184" target="_blank">wreaks havoc</a> on marine life. According to one estimate, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12407" target="_blank">nearly a third</a> of fishing lines are lost or discarded at sea. Experts estimate that more than <a href="https://iwc.int/management-and-conservation/entanglement" target="_blank">300,000 whales and dolphins</a> die each year after getting tangled in them.Tragically, over the three days it took to remove the net, the divers encountered three dead sea turtles caught in the net.“I wonder how many turtles, sharks and sea lions have been trapped here without anyone knowing,” Ochoa said. “Removing a ghost net this size isn’t just a dive — it’s a race against time for marine life.”<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/redespi-ritusanto-ci-arturo-herna-ndez-10.jpg?sfvrsn=2a5195e3_3" alt="" sf-size="5486847" />© Arturo HernandezMeasuring nearly the length of a soccer field and weighing nearly 2 tons, it is the largest net to be removed from the ocean floor.Ochoa, who has cleaned up thousands of pounds of abandoned fishing gear, likens the removal of ghost nets to a choreographed dance — each diver moves in unison and has a role.To clean up this net — the largest ever removed — the divers began by cutting the net in half to make it more manageable. Initially, they planned to attach the net’s edges to lift bags — a device used to lift heavy objects underwater. But the net was so weighed down by sand that the bags weren’t strong enough, and they had to call in backup: the Mexican Navy.“I was in the water when they began to pull it out,” Ochoa said. “Seeing the ship on the horizon and seeing the net slide out of the water was a great feeling — I’m not sure what we would have done if that didn’t work.”<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/redespi-ritusanto-ci-vi-ctor-marti-nez6867.jpg?sfvrsn=b4921950_3" alt="" sf-size="5133581" />© Victor Martinez Weighed down by years of sand, the net was too heavy to remove with lift bags.Thankfully, the net was only about 9 to 12 meters (30 to 40 feet) deep which allowed the divers to stay underwater for longer periods, he said.Over the past 20 years, Ochoa has trained nearly 200 divers around the world to safely remove ghost nets, including those involved in this operation. He says he doesn’t measure success by the amount of trash picked up, but rather by the number of divers who join his ranks.“It’s a pay-it-forward kind of approach,” he said. “The more people we certify, the more people that can use these skills to remove any trash they encounter — whenever and wherever they’re diving.”But this dive was personal for Ochoa — he went to university nearby and has been to the site many times on field and research trips.“This operation was an opportunity to pay back the place that has given me so much,” he said. “In a way, it felt like a graduation for me — not only because it was bigger and more complex than anything I’ve ever done, but because this place holds a special place in my heart.”<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/redespi-ritusanto-ci-vi-ctor-marti-nez-1.jpg?sfvrsn=38db4958_3" alt="" sf-size="33263616" />© Victor MartinezThe net likely drifted into the marine protected area after being abandoned by a tuna or shrimp fishing vessel.Ghost nets touch every corner of the ocean, spreading on tides and currents. The main culprit is commercial fishing. Estimates suggest ghost gear accounts for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/06/dumped-fishing-gear-is-biggest-plastic-polluter-in-ocean-finds-report" target="_blank">10 percent</a> of the waste floating in the ocean, but Ochoa said it’s almost impossible to know the true impacts, because abandoned nets and gear typically come from illegal or unregulated fishing vessels and are therefore unreported.While the net was discovered in a protected area, it likely drifted there, abandoned by a tuna or shrimp fishing vessel, said Norma Arce, a biologist at Conservation International-México.“These removal operations are critical,” she said. “But they don’t solve the root of the problem. We need to help people understand the connection between their seafood consumption and these issues.”As fish consumption has <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=108936#:~:text=Growth%20in%20fresh%20and%20frozen,almost%2080%20percent%20in%202021." target="_blank">skyrocketed</a> in recent decades, so too has the ghost net problem. Not only are more fishermen at sea, they use nylon fishing lines and nets that last virtually forever compared with nets of the past, made with silk or cotton.Raising consumers’ awareness of the problem is crucial, said Esther Quintero, conservation lead at Conservation International-México.“The ghost net crisis is driven by the overexploitation of fish,” she said. “Consumers have the power to make a difference by respecting seasonal fish and supporting sustainable sources.”In the meantime, Ochoa will continue to pick away at the ghost net problem. His training has already helped prepare many communities to tackle it on their own, including in the Espíritu Santo Archipelago marine protected area, where park rangers will now be able to immediately respond to reports of abandoned fishing gear.“Humans are the only living beings with the capacity to restore — no other living being has the capacity to repair nature, but we do, and we know how,” Ochoa said. “When we pulled the first section of the net, I felt like we were paying back a small part of our debt to nature. We made a little payment to help nature restore itself.”This expedition was made possible with support from SC Johnson, which partners with Conservation International-Mexico to protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities. This collaboration has resulted in specialized training programs for the safe removal of ghost gear and other underwater debris.In the past two years, with SC Johnson’s support, Conservation International has trained more than two dozen divers from local communities in safe net-removal techniques and has removed more than 3 tons of abandoned nets and debris from Mexico’s coastal waters.Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:4162e45d-3307-4834-846c-5b2ae30f85echttps://www.conservation.org/blog/protect-wildlife-buy-a-print BiodiversityProtect wildlife: Buy a printThey say a picture is worth a thousand words. These pictures might be worth even more. An initiative featuring the work of some of the world’s best nature photographers raises money for environmental conservation.Thu, 21 Aug 2025 15:49:36 Z<div>They say a picture is worth a thousand words. These pictures might be worth even more.“Prints for Wildlife,” an initiative featuring the work of some of the world’s best nature photographers, has raised more than US$ 2 million for environmental conservation since 2020.This year’s edition — dubbed “Edition Hope” — runs for one month starting today, featuring limited-edition prints donated by more than 200 renowned wildlife and nature photographers, including Joel Sartore, Georgina Goodwin, Suzi Eszterhas and more.The initiative is well-timed, with conservation programs around the world facing abrupt funding cuts and a possible future where nature is undervalued.“The striking images that are part of this collection so perfectly illustrate the power and beauty of nature in its many forms,” said Daniela Raik, interim CEO of Conservation International. “There is no question that everything is connected and when nature thrives, so do we. Thanks to the commitment from many celebrated photographers, this art will give people the opportunity to connect with the natural world each day in their own space, while at the same time supporting its resilience and longevity for the benefit of us all.”Prints will be available for one month only at <a href="https://www.printsforwildlife.org/" target="_blank">printsforwildlife.org</a>, starting today and closing Sept. 21.Each print is priced at US$ 125 — all net proceeds (after printing and handling) will directly benefit Conservation International.Bruno Vander Velde is the managing director of storytelling at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:397ef95b-fef3-4f66-ae93-6c1981257bbahttps://www.conservation.org/blog/can-these-fishermen-save-a-3-000-year-tradition CommunitiesCan these fishermen save a 3,000-year tradition?In a fishing community in Peru, a small group of fishermen carry on a tradition that dates back to the Incas. But an environmental disaster and modern fishing practices threaten this way of life.Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:12:17 Z<div>On a sunny morning in January, along the northern coast of Peru, wastewater rushed from a treatment plant into nearby wetlands.These wetlands hold totora— a type of reed grass — that local fishermen have used for more than 3,000 years to build fishing boats.More than 45 totora ponds were destroyed. A foul odor filled the air for days during peak tourist season; a local fisherman who was harvesting reeds during the event fell ill for more than three months from the contaminated water.It was an environmental emergency that shook the small community of fishermen in Huanchaco, a fishing town known for surfing and for its caballitos de totora, the fishing boats made of reeds.Then it happened again — and again. A second spill two months later driven by heavy rains led to the loss of an additional 33 totora ponds. A third spill in June further exacerbated the damage in the affected ponds.Although the ponds are within a protected conservation area, the community has yet to see action after the spills — and the threat still lingers.“It’s hard to overstate the importance of these reed ponds to the local fishermen,” said Cynthia Céspedes, a marine biologist at Conservation International-Peru. “Many of the fishermen lost everything during these events; they are really suffering right now.”<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/112b.jpg?sfvrsn=d48b1acf_3" alt="" sf-size="3900101" />© Carlos Antonio FerrerA reed pond in Huanchaco. In the distance, cut reeds dry in the sun before they are used to construct boats.Reed production for the entire year was wiped out from the spills, she continued — an especially devastating outcome, as the boats last only for a couple of months before the fishermen must build new ones. Without this year's crop of totora, they can’t fish, jeopardizing their livelihoods and way of life.The reed boats are iconic to Huanchaco. Search for an <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=677f3ddbc8bf65e8&rlz=1C5GCEM_enUS1102US1104&sxsrf=AE3TifNE1JLeEFvUkX1k-PTsoADBEmYEqw:1753378216889&q=huanchaco+peru&udm=2&fbs=AIIjpHxU7SXXniUZfeShr2fp4giZ1Y6MJ25_tmWITc7uy4KIetxLMeWi1u_d0OMRvkClUba76WL62NDKV-tuv6_wPYBC9v7ob7zIjaDzKC7u3qUzfD7e7YM11gPmU080OmUCW2ra6dnp670CRAaKtkLzGbsTDSqnsqGdRqpRgn7m8J8sRSSZQGr1gsZNygXo3gegFkXRGx97PLV94iHXkSHBuVAPRbU0rg&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwiK9ZjugtaOAxVnj4kEHQQGFDAQtKgLKAF6BAgSEAE&biw=1460&bih=1029&dpr=1" target="_blank">image</a> of the seaside town, and you will see the boats lining the waterfront. Dating back to the time of the Incas, the fishermen who created them are thought to be among the world’s first surfers. Today, Huanchaco is a <a href="https://www.savethewaves.org/wsr/" target="_blank">World Surfing Reserve</a>, and it sits near the ancient capital of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chimu" target="_blank">Chimu civilization</a>, the ruins of which are now a World Heritage Site.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/de2_6581.jpg?sfvrsn=cdc22fa_3" alt="" sf-size="11813259" />© Carlos Antonio FerrerA fisherman surfs on a caballito de totora.The fishermen say this way of life is a calling. They begin learning to fish as children, often using the boats as surfboards. By the time they’re teenagers, they’re expert fishermen.“Despite the hard work and adversity, especially with the recent sewage spills, we plan to use caballitos de totoras forever,” said Javier Terrones, president of the Ancestral Fishermen’s Association of Huanchaco. “Totora is the soul of us — it’s the seed our ancestors passed down to us; it’s not just any material.”Yet, only about 70 of these fishermen remain, and as few as 25 are actively fishing with caballitos de totoras today.<img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/img_3086.jpg?sfvrsn=b3c7fa55_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" sf-size="3628636" class="-align-center" width="400" alt="" sf-constrain-proportions="true" />Fisherman Javier Terrones transplants totora in the ponds outside of Huanchaco. © Daniela AmicoThe fishermen face a raft of challenges. Alongside the threat of future spills is competition with other artisanal fisheries that use motorboats and can catch significantly more fish, eating into their fishing grounds and their ability to compete. Conservation International, with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is working to help ensure this way of life doesn’t disappear. But it’s an uphill battle. In the past, the fishermen of Huanchaco have struggled with empty promises made by the government and NGOs to help.“Our first step is building trust with the community,” Céspedes said. “Caballitos de totora have brought many tourists to the area and help connect history to the present, yet the community has often felt sidelined and like they have little support to keep this tradition alive.”<img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/img_3008.jpg?sfvrsn=badc3ac6_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" sf-size="3461016" class="-align-center" width="400" alt="" sf-constrain-proportions="true" />Fisherman Santos Urcia assembles a caballito de totora. © Daniela AmicoIn response, Conservation International is supporting the construction of new totora ponds to replace those that were lost in the spill and buffer the supply of reeds for long-term sustainability. So far, 13 new ponds have been built.“After the spills I felt defeated,” Terrones said. “I thought the destruction from the spills would be the end of our culture, but Conservation International has lifted our spirits and is helping keep the culture alive.”The fishermen today continue to follow the traditions of those who began this practice 3,000 years ago, which means they need a consistent supply of reeds, as the plant takes a year to mature and the boats last a max of one month. Each family has its own plot within the ponds that they tend for building their boats. Similarly, they also have their own fishing territories along the coast.In many ways, the totora fishing culture is a family affair. The men catch the fish, and many of their wives and family members serve it in family-run local restaurants.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/img_3127.jpg?sfvrsn=6f0fbea9_3" alt="" sf-size="2428061" />© Daniela AmicoA restaurant in Huanchaco that serves fish caught using caballitos de totora.Conservation International is working with these family restaurants to connect the story of their ancient fishing practices with the food they are serving to tourists, Céspedes said. That effort will also extend to hotels and the other restaurants of Huanchaco that sell their fish.“Huanchaco is known for two things — reed boat fishermen and great surfing,” she said. “They share the same environment and history. Our ultimate goal is for this ancestral fishery to gain recognition as a national cultural heritage site to further protect this legacy.”The caballitos de totora, typically left to dry along the area’s beaches, have become a major tourist attraction, but the fishermen would remind visitors that their purpose isn’t to decorate the beach — they are the essential tool of their work.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/non-vault-images/img_3082.jpg?sfvrsn=2a34deec_3" alt="" sf-size="2074637" />© Daniela AmicoCaballitos de totora line the beaches of Huanchaco.The fishermen see tourism as the key to their long-term sustainability — from telling their story through food to offering rides and lessons to steer and surf the caballitos to charging for photos of the boats on the shore.“We’re going to keep fighting for Huanchaco,” said Santos Urcia, a local fisherman. “We were about to lose everything, but now we are united, and we will keep going. The Huanchaco tradition must live on.”Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:6bd2f171-b740-4916-9f2c-57ca0b35d49chttps://www.conservation.org/blog/axolotls-are-on-the-brink-can-we-bring-them-back BiodiversityAxolotls are on the brink. Can we bring them back?A project from Conservation International and a Mexican university offers a glimmer of hope for the critically endangered axolotl.Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:40:29 ZAn ancient wetland system of islands and canals that pre-dates the Aztecs endures quietly in Mexico City.These wetlands, cradled within North America’s most populous city, are the only place on Earth where you can find one of the most recognizable — and endangered — creatures on the planet: the axolotl.Now, a new survey has confirmed what scientists and locals have feared: The charismatic salamander is nearing extinction in the wild, driven by habitat loss, pollution and the introduction of invasive fish that prey on it.Led by the Ecological Restoration Laboratory of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with support from Conservation International-Mexico, the survey is the most comprehensive effort of its kind, covering 115 monitoring sites across the 2,500-hectare (6,180-acre) Xochimilco Protected Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its canals and farm islands, called chinampas.For the first time, researchers used traditional fishing nets as well as environmental DNA (eDNA) to track the presence of the notoriously elusive amphibian.Although no axolotls were captured with the nets, eDNA testing, which captures traces of animals’ genetic material in water, soil or even air, revealed that axolotls are still present in the canals.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_71384653_full.jpg?sfvrsn=c68b546e_3" alt="" sf-size="25403996" />© Susana PortilloResearchers used both traditional nets and eDNA during the survey. No axolotls were found using the nets.<hr />Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-edna">What on Earth is ‘eDNA’?</a><hr />“Unlike previous surveys, this time we included environmental DNA to better understand where axolotls are surviving and how their habitat is changing,” said Luis Zambrano, director of the UNAM lab and lead researcher on the census. “Habitat degradation is pushing axolotls to the brink of extinction. Their future and the health of Xochimilco depend on sustained investment in chinampa farming, local leadership, and a new approach to urban living that embraces nature."<img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_52163545_full.jpg?sfvrsn=20e8f6c3_3" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;" sf-size="2663262" class="-align-center" width="400" alt="" sf-constrain-proportions="true" />EDNA, extracted from water samples, revealed axolotls are still present in the canals. © Víctor MartínezWhile the results are far from a call for celebration, they may offer a glimmer of hope for the future of axolotls in Xochimilco’s wetlands — if restoration is prioritized.Once abundant, axolotl populations are a flicker of what they used to be. In 1998, there were an estimated 6,000 axolotls per square kilometer. By 2014, the last time the survey was conducted, that number had dwindled to just 36 per square kilometer — a 99 percent decrease.Axolotls are extremely sensitive to changes in water quality, temperature, salinity and food. As Xochimilco’s wetlands have been battered by the overuse of pesticides in modern farming and invasive species like carp and tilapia — which are not only axolotls’ main predators, but also compete for food, shelter and breeding areas — axolotl’s numbers have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/science/mexico-axolotl-biology.html" target="_blank">followed course</a>.In response, local farmers and scientists have teamed up to reverse the trend.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_24283008_full.jpg?sfvrsn=7d654820_3" alt="" sf-size="1466607" />© Víctor MartínezA local farmer works on his chinampa.“We can’t save axolotls without restoring their habitat,” said Esther Quintero, a biologist at Conservation International-Mexico. “That means working hand in hand with the people who live and farm in these wetlands every day. Restoring Xochimilco is not just a scientific or ecological challenge — it’s a chance to rethink how we live in cities and make space for nature to thrive alongside us.”Using a restoration model known as chinampa-refuge, developed by UNAM and local farmers, Conservation International is helping the farmers blend ancestral farming techniques like the farm islands with modern science, as well as supporting a new generation of farmers who are committed to protecting Xochimilco.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_52636035_full.jpg?sfvrsn=b89e0562_3" alt="" sf-size="7610451" />© Isabel TaborgaAn aerial view of the chinampas of XochimilcoThese chinampa-refuges are a sanctuary for axolotls. Biofilters, made from wood, gravel and native plants, clean the water and block invasive predators from entering the designated canals. As a result of the biofilters, water quality has improved, invasive species have declined, crop yields have increased, and native fish such as the Chapultepec splitfin and the Shortfin silverside have returned.Twenty-one chinampa-refuges currently dot Xochimilco’s wetlands, with more planned in the coming year. These farm islands, if scaled up, have the potential to produce up to a quarter of the flowers and vegetables purchased in Mexico City. And the wetland’s benefits extend beyond agriculture, helping to control flooding, regulate the city’s climate and buffer against extreme weather.In September, a second, larger phase of the census will enable researchers to compare results with the 2014 census. In the meantime, Conservation International-Mexico, the researchers and farmers are focused on raising public awareness about the importance of Xochimilco — to axolotls and to Mexico City.“Finding traces of axolotls gives us hope to continue restoring their habitat — a task that must involve all of society,” Zambrano said.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_62380355_full.jpg?sfvrsn=f8e2cf3b_3" alt="" sf-size="28137964" />© Susana PortilloTo bring axolotls back, researchers say the entire ecosystem must be restored.Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also,<a href="https://www.conservation.org/act"> please consider supporting our critical work. </a>urn:uuid:7e3989dc-e428-4cf4-8c83-7fbe3ed077d5https://www.conservation.org/blog/where-andes-meet-amazon-a-new-lifeline-for-wildlife BiodiversityClimate ChangeWhere Andes meet Amazon, a new ‘lifeline’ for wildlifeAs global temperatures rise, wildlife around the world are on the move, a new protected corridor in one of the planet’s most biodiverse countries aims to help.Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:05:47 Z<div>As global temperatures rise, wildlife around the world are on the move, and one of the planet’s most biodiverse countries is no exception.In central Ecuador, where the Andes meet the Amazon, lies a patchwork of protected areas and Indigenous territories. But climate change and persistent deforestation are widening the gaps between them — leaving species like jaguars, tapirs and monkeys with few safe paths to find more suitable habitat.The solution: Stitch some of these areas back together.Today, the Ecuadorian government, with support from Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund and the Global Environment Facility, announced the Palora-Pastaza corridor, which links protected forests with Indigenous territories to enable wildlife to more easily migrate to higher and more temperate elevations.Spanning 316,000 hectares (781,000 acres) — an area roughly the size of Rhode Island — the corridor is the largest of its kind in Ecuador’s Amazon.“Rising temperatures coupled with deforestation are pushing wildlife into smaller and smaller areas,” said Joy Woolfson, who leads the Amazonian Connectivity Corridors project for Conservation International-Ecuador. “Corridors that connect remaining patches of healthy habitat are a lifeline."<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_18405502_full.jpg?sfvrsn=8e020a9e_1" alt="" sf-size="2498677" />© Esteban BarreraA jaguar in the Palora-Pastaza conservation corridor.But where will wildlife migrate in the future? To answer this, Conservation International and EcoCiencia-Kolibria analyzed factors including the distance between primary forest and ease of travel, considering roads and landscapes.Protected areas are <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-drives-deforestation-and-how-can-we-stop-it">one of conservation’s most effective tools</a>, but by design, they can create isolated islands of healthy habitat for wildlife, Woolfson said. Corridors help bridge these gaps, linking fragmented ecosystems and providing safe routes for wildlife in search of food, mates or space.Though protected areas typically limit human activity, protected corridors are different: They're designed to support wildlife and people, allowing sustainable land use while allowing animals room to roam.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_58212197_full.jpg?sfvrsn=19d1db7_1" alt="" sf-size="2635833" />© Esteban BarreraA South American tapir in the Palora-Pastaza conservation corridor.With Sangay National Park in the Andes to the west and Indigenous territories in the Amazon to the east, establishing the protected corridor required buy-in from local and Indigenous communities whose ancestral lands it connects to, Woolfson said.Eighty-four percent of the land in the Palora-Pastaza corridor belongs to three Indigenous communities — the Shuar, Achuar and Kichwa — who along with two provincial and six municipal governments elected to include their territories in the protected corridor. Since 2023, Conservation International has worked with representatives from each group to plan and manage the corridor and ensure its long-term protection.“The forest is important to us. Our father always told us to share with other communities — show others the importance of protecting the forest,” said José Vargas, president of the Arutam Forest, a Shuar core area located within the corridor. “It makes me happy to see other nationalities participating, because unity will help us conserve nature.”Without support from these communities, establishing the corridor would have been impossible, Woolfson said. As research has <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-drives-deforestation-and-how-can-we-stop-it">repeatedly shown</a>, Indigenous peoples are some of the most effective stewards of the environment, and deforestation on Indigenous-managed lands is consistently lower than average.The corridor, its backers say, will directly benefit more than 2,000 people who live in the area by providing them with funding or technical assistance to shift to sustainable farming practices and livelihoods.Woolfson says that the effort is part of a larger strategy in Ecuador, where there is little remaining land in the country — about the size of the U.S. state of Nevada — to designate as protected.“Ecuador is a small country,” she said. “Even in the protected areas that we have now, a good portion is occupied by people. By targeting protected corridors, we’re maximizing protected areas’ potential, while also protecting wildlife and the livelihoods of people living there."<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_21833635_full.jpg?sfvrsn=8422caf4_1" alt="" sf-size="3677764" />©Esteban BarreraThe vast majority of the new conservation corridor belongs to three Indigenous communities. Deforestation on Indigenous-managed lands is consistently lower than average.Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:66fd152d-74a5-43c9-a1d6-3d0121ee8716https://www.conservation.org/blog/is-there-a-better-way-to-farm-shrimp-a-new-project-says-yes OceansIs there a better way to farm shrimp? A new project says yesThe world’s appetite for shrimp has surged — and environmental destruction has followed in its wake. A new program from Conservation International has a solution.Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:35:52 Z<div>The shrimp on your plate has a story.Over the past three decades, the world’s appetite for shrimp has surged — <a href="https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/fishstat" target="_blank">almost tenfold</a>. Wild shrimp stocks alone can’t keep up with this demand, so farming shrimp has filled the gap.But this rapid growth has come at a heavy cost. Mangrove forests — which shelter life along many of the world’s tropical coasts and <a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/mangroves">absorb gobs of climate-warming carbon</a> — have been cleared to make way for shrimp farms.The carbon footprint of this devastation is enormous: A <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/surf-and-turf-can-have-carbon-footprint-of-cross-country-road-trip-study">2017 study</a> found that the climate impact of a steak and shrimp dinner — were it to come from shrimp farms and pasture formerly occupied by mangroves — is the same as driving a small car across the continental United States.Now, in the coastal village of Lalombi in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, a new chapter to the story is unfolding — one that includes more shrimp and more mangroves.This June brought the first harvest of shrimp raised using a new “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/docs/default-source/publication-pdfs/climatesmartshrimp_fact_sheet_200309.pdf?sfvrsn=30cea3b4_2">Climate Smart Shrimp</a>” approach pioneered by Conservation International.“The equation is simple,” said Dane Klinger, who leads the organization’s Climate Smart Shrimp program. “We’re helping farmers grow more shrimp on less land, so that they can return the rest of their farms back to mangroves. It’s a shift that we think could disrupt the entire industry to make it not just more sustainable, but more productive and profitable, too.”For years, shrimp farms followed a familiar pattern: Clear the mangroves, dig the ponds and harvest what you can.But as global demand for shrimp has grown, many farmers have pushed their farms to the limit to produce more in the same space. This comes with risks: Crowded ponds can increase disease outbreaks, while runoff pollutes waterways and damages delicate coastal ecosystems. A “boom-and-bust” cycle begins, forcing farmers to abandon or rotate ponds frequently, driving expansion into the few remaining mangroves left.<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/non-vault-images-s3/mangrove-restoration-credit-viga-ananda-wicaksono.jpg?sfvrsn=4f712f3b_3" alt="" sf-size="3854595" />© Viga Ananda WicaksonoYoung mangroves emerge in restored mangrove habitat.In Lalombi, that pattern is shifting.Backed by Conservation International’s local affiliate, Konservasi Indonesia, the Indonesia-based start-up <a href="https://www.jala.tech" target="_blank">JALA</a> purchased a shrimp farm in Lalombi that had previously been abandoned, low-productivity shrimp ponds. Here, they’ve adopted a more efficient farming model that responsibly boosts production while shrinking the climate footprint of the ponds.“We’ve made a lot of changes,” said Aryo Wiryawan, founder of JALA. “We’re preparing our ponds more carefully, using better tools to monitor shrimp health, and managing waste more effectively. All of this has helped improve survival rates and allowed us to raise more shrimp in the same space.”The farmers are paying close attention to everything from how much feed the shrimp receive to the temperature, oxygen levels and salinity of the water — all key to creating the right conditions for healthy growth. Some ponds use aerators to boost oxygen levels or automated feeders to optimize nutrition. Pond liners, often made of plastic or concrete, help provide farmers more control over the environment.These approaches appear to be paying off. The first harvest at the Lalombi farm brought in 52 tons per hectare — well above average.“With better survival rates and healthier shrimp, the income per cycle has increased,” Wiryawan said. “This early trajectory suggests that the Climate Smart Shrimp approach — combining smart tech, regenerative practices and better farm management — can deliver both ecological and economic benefits.”And in spaces no longer needed for ponds, mangroves are being restored, one sapling at a time. Early signs suggest it’s working.Mariska Astrid, a researcher at Indonesia’s <a href="https://www.brin.go.id/en" target="_blank">National Research and Innovation Agency</a>, helped survey the water quality at the Lalombi farm and the surrounding mangrove areas to assess their natural filtration role.<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/non-vault-images-s3/monitoring-css-credit-ki-comms.jpg?sfvrsn=814e7915_3" alt="" sf-size="769953" />© Konservasi IndonesiaScientists from Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency collect water samples during the harvest to assess water quality in the shrimp ponds and restored mangrove habitat.“Previously, wastewater from shrimp ponds was foamy due to high chemical and phosphorus content,” Astrid said. “After passing through the wastewater treatment system and natural mangrove filtration, the foam disappeared, and the water became clear — safe for discharge into the sea.”It’s a small but promising sign for Indonesia — one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth, but one with one of the world’s highest deforestation rates.<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25001608" target="_blank"> Significant portions </a>of the mangroves on Sulawesi have been damaged or destroyed since the 1980s. Over time, these coastlines once cleared for shrimp could become a renewed haven for native wildlife — from darting schools of fish to mudskippers, fiddler crabs, herons and kingfishers.“Every shrimp on your plate has a story,” Wiryawan said. “It’s connected to a community, an ecosystem and a farmer trying to make the right choices. What you eat matters — it can drive real change.”<hr />Conservation International has now turned its attention to scaling climate smart shrimp by attracting more investment in the model. A recent grant from Convergence will enable Conservation International and partners to design and raise a loan fund to finance adoption of climate smart shrimp practices across Indonesia.This project was made possible through the generous support of the Caterpillar Foundation. Since its founding in 1952, Caterpillar Foundation has helped improve the lives of people around the world by investing in the skills people need to join the modern workforce, and the natural and vital infrastructure they rely upon.Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:a39b2f29-01f5-4f5d-910b-3affdc5325bfhttps://www.conservation.org/blog/an-uprooted-people-a-legacy-of-conservation BiodiversityCommunitiesAn uprooted people, a legacy of conservationA new Conservation International study is shedding light on an unsung group and their relationship with nature.Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:06:27 ZTheir forebears were strangers in a strange land.Yet over hundreds of years, in the shadows of their ancestors, they migrated and mixed into societies across South America, quietly reshaping the natural landscape.They are the descendants of African enslaved people — and the significance of their impacts on lands throughout South America is coming into the light, thanks to new research.Afro-descendant communities in four Amazonian countries show remarkable achievements in protecting and managing the natural environments they live in, according to research from Conservation International.The researchers examined community lands in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname, finding significantly lower rates of deforestation and larger quantities of biodiversity and of carbon (which would be emitted into the atmosphere and warm the climate were those forests to be degraded or destroyed).<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02339-5#:~:text=Over%20130%20million%20people%20in,conservation%20and%20climate%20decision%2Dmaking." target="_blank">The study</a>, published today in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment, found that deforestation rates for Afro-descendant lands were up to 55 percent lower compared with similar areas. Additionally, the study calculated that more than half of Afro-descendant lands are among the top 5 percent globally in biodiversity, including 99 percent of all Afro-descendant lands in Ecuador.This research is the first study to examine statistical, spatial and historical data together to quantify the critical role of Afro-descendants in protecting nature.“Afro-descendant communities across the Americas have long served as environmental stewards without recognition or reward — most of their territories are not even formally recognized,” said Conservation International’s Martha Cecilia Rosero Peña, a co-author of the study. “The evidence, however, is indisputable; the world has much to learn from their land management practices."<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/vault-images-s3/ci_38138550_full.jpg?sfvrsn=5589ae47_1" alt="" sf-size="4503776" />© Conservation InternationalAn Afro-descendant community in Ecuador. Research shows Afro-descendant communities have significantly lower rates of deforestation.Though Indigenous Peoples have been increasingly recognized in recent years as conservation champions, such recognition for Afro-descendant peoples has been minimal. This is changing, though: At the UN Biodiversity Summit in 2024, Afro-descendants were recognized as important to biodiversity conservation in the convention text.“Though evidence on Afro-descendant peoples’ environmental stewardship is emerging, it is still limited,” said Sushma Shrestha, the study’s lead author and the director of Indigenous science at Conservation International.“So we did this research to help fill that gap.”<h2>Food — and a place to hide</h2>Afro-descendant peoples trace their practices to the ingenuity and experience of their ancestors, forcibly taken from Africa through the transatlantic slave trade. Some escaped before being enslaved, while others fled slavery and established their own settlements in remote regions throughout the Americas. In dense forests, marshlands and mangroves, they found refuge and, over generations, developed "escape agriculture,” which sustained their communities while remaining hidden from colonial forces.<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/vault-images-s3/ci_49321836_full.jpg?sfvrsn=329362cb_1" alt="" sf-size="2664281" />© Conservation InternationalMembers of an Afro-descendant community in Colombia harvest clams among the mangrove roots. <hr />Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/saving-the-mangroves-to-save-the-clams-and-a-way-of-life">Saving the mangroves to save the clams — and a way of life</a><hr />Many of these practices blended traditional African knowledge to new environments. For example: Over thousands of years, Africa’s tropical forests had undergone a transformation into “food forests,” a form of agroforestry that both provides food for people and mimics the natural function of a forest ecosystem. The researchers write:These time-tested African practices subsequently crossed the Atlantic Ocean with enslaved individuals, ultimately being adapted for the plants, animals and humans of the Americas. Upon their arrival, enslaved individuals … implemented management practices that replicated food forests, creating forest canopy structures that constituted functional reservoirs for dietary, medicinal, ritual and festive purposes.The forests served another purpose: concealment.In Suriname, descendants of African enslaved people are known as Maroons and are associated with the forest — not least because forests were a place where their fugitive ancestors could hide from slaveowners. These forests housed communities that, Rosero says, implemented methods of agriculture that preserved the forest as a means of protection from being caught. “It means they didn't burn the forest,” she said. “They had to use the canopy to hide. This is something that we can still see in many places in Latin America.<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/vault-images-s3/ci_85011203_full.jpg?sfvrsn=b6ac18fb_1" alt="" sf-size="4641365" />© Conservation InternationalAn Afro-descendant community in Ecuador displays foods derived from their forests.<h2>‘Disconcerting’</h2>In Latin America, 133 million people identify themselves as Afro-descendant peoples, occupying some 2 million square kilometers (791,000 square miles) of land.Yet, the researchers say, they are largely missing from policy discussions that affect them.“It is disconcerting that one in three people in Latin America identify as Afro-descended peoples, but they are not really part of the environmental decision-making that impacts, of course, them and their livelihoods and their lands,” Shrestha said. “But that also means that we are missing the opportunity to really partner with allies that would support combating climate change and biodiversity loss."<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/vault-images-s3/ci_91773467_full.jpg?sfvrsn=694aefa5_1" alt="" sf-size="1084453" />© Conservation InternationalAn Afro-descendant community in Cispatá, Colombia, along the Caribbean coast.The authors call for greater recognition of Afro-descendant stewardship in environmental policymaking and increased legal protections for their lands. With international goals aiming for the protection of 30 percent of the world's land by 2030, integrating Afro-descendant knowledge and leadership into global strategies may well be the key to meeting the target.The research is already being lauded by some Afro-descendant peoples as a confirmation of what they’ve long known.“This study is very important to us Saamaka people, as it highlights for the first time how, through our deep cultural and spiritual connection to the land, we have sustained vital forest areas,” said Hugo Jabini, a human rights and environmental leader from Suriname’s Saamaka Afro-descendant community. “We hope this raises awareness, so that [political leaders] no longer see us as mere claimants of land.”Further reading: <ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/saving-the-mangroves-to-save-the-clams-and-a-way-of-life">Saving the mangroves to save the clams — and a way of life</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-colombia-a-new-way-to-protect-mangroves-takes-root">In Colombia, a new way to protect mangroves takes root</a></li></ul>Bruno Vander Velde is the managing director of storytelling at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>. urn:uuid:b5f607c2-d08f-473c-a7ff-ebd0e86531f8https://www.conservation.org/blog/can-ai-help-protect-nature Finance and TechCan AI help protect nature?Despite risks, AI has ‘enormous potential’ for good, a Conservation International expert says.Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:40:47 ZIn her own words, Ali Swanson is a “tech skeptic.”This may seem odd, given Swanson’s role as Conservation International’s director of nature tech and innovation. But Swanson rarely uses words like “transformational” or “revolutionary” to describe artificial intelligence (AI), the broad term for emerging technology that can mimic human cognitive abilities. She has yet to catch the <a href="https://time.com/6266923/ai-eliezer-yudkowsky-open-letter-not-enough/" target="_blank">AI-will-kill-us-all</a> fever, nor does she think AI is humanity’s <a href="https://a16z.com/ai-will-save-the-world/" target="_blank">salvation</a>.Still, Swanson, an ecologist by background, says she believes that AI can help conservationists dramatically increase the scale and speed of their work. And she spends her time and brainpower exploring ways to make that happen.Conservation News spoke with Swanson to unpack the perils and promise of integrating AI with conservation.Conservation News: What problems can artificial intelligence solve for conservation?Ali Swanson: I think there are three key opportunities. First, this technology can help us understand the world faster and at greater scales. We’ll be able to map and monitor changes and threats with far greater precision and speed.Second, AI can help us both optimize — and future-proof — our decisions. A lot of conservation is about maximizing our impact with limited resources and information. Broadening the scope of information will help increase certainty, which is something funders covet. AI lets us not only consider so many more variables in our calculations but also predict what might happen in the future — so we can make the best decisions today that last for generations to come. And then the third piece, and this is something I'm really excited about, is thinking about how we can help democratize conservation action — putting our science into the hands of the people who can put it into practice. Tell me more about that.AS: Let’s take <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/nature-credit-markets">nature credits</a>. There are dozens of different ‘nature credit’ methodologies out there, and they're all over the map on what they ask you to measure and report on — even the goals.Imagine you could take all those frameworks, all the ecological data that's ever been collected for a place that you're working in, and all the global data sets that are out there — and throw them into AI. Then, you could ask it, in simple language, ‘Hey, I’m trying to get a nature credit in Yaguas National Park in Peru. What framework do I use? What biodiversity do I monitor to get that credit? How much will all this cost me?’ We are partnering with AI developers to build AI tools to help teams navigate these very questions — and testing the answers in CI’s nature credit pilots.Right now, the conservation movement struggles to make informed decisions quickly. And it's not unique to nature credits; this is relevant to any kind of financing mechanism. This technology can push the bounds of what's possible in that respect. And I think it's the kind of thing that is achievable within the next ten years.So far, we’ve discussed hypotheticals. Where is Conservation International already embedding AI into its programs, and what have we learned?AS: Historically, we’ve used machine learning or deep learning to process large volumes of data much faster — like camera trap images in the <a href="https://www.conservation.org/research/wildlife-insights-a-platform-to-maximize-the-potential-of-camera-trap-and-other-passive-sensor-wildlife-data-for-the-planet" target="_blank">Wildlife Insights</a> program, or satellite data in our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/docs/default-source/publication-pdfs/climatesmartshrimp_fact_sheet_200309.pdf?sfvrsn=30cea3b4_2">Climate Smart Shrimp</a> program.But we’re looking to dramatically increase the sustainability and accessibility of AI tools. We have an incredible opportunity with funding from the <a href="https://www.mcgovern.org/" target="_blank">Patrick J. McGovern Foundation</a> to pursue AI innovation. With this support, we are building out a dedicated AI curriculum at CI to upskill our staff and empower them to use AI strategically and responsibly. We are also partnering with AI developers to prototype AI agents that can help stakeholders make better conservation decisions, such as with nature credits or restoration.We’re still figuring out what works and what doesn’t. At the same time, while I think AI holds enormous potential to help us do our work better and faster, we need to recognize it's not a panacea. As with any technology, it will create more challenges and problems to solve.<iframe style="border:none;" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1096067762?h=5626024ba2&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" width="640" height="360" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin">&nbsp;</iframe>One of those challenges is AI’s massive environmental footprint. The average American datacenter uses roughly <a href="https://news.lenovo.com/data-centers-worlds-ai-generators-water-usage/" target="_blank">17,000 showers’ worth of water</a> each day, for example. How do you think about the tradeoff of potential long-term progress at a real short-term environmental cost?AS: There’s no easy answer here, but I think the first step is visibility. Just over the state line from my house sit two coal-fired power plants that feed data centers. It makes visible for me a cost that is otherwise invisible just sitting at a computer prompting a chatbot.In the big picture, I do think the benefit of doing our work faster, bigger and better will outweigh the costs of our AI use, in part because we're leveraging a tool that has largely been built and developed already.But at Conservation International, we have a unique opportunity — and therefore, a responsibility — to bring different actors to the table, including major tech partners, other NGOs and world leaders to have this discussion. How can we, as a conservation sector, harness this tool for good, recognizing the costs that it creates? It’s one of the most important questions of our generation.You’re an ecologist, but you now work on technology. How did that happen?AS: I very much stumbled into this world of technology as a graduate student, studying how large carnivores co-exist in East Africa. The tools and methods that I needed to answer questions I was asking about lions, hyenas, cheetahs and wild dogs simply didn't exist. There was this clear need.So, I partnered with technology developers to build the tools and approaches to collect data, interpret it and turn it into actionable scientific knowledge.And now at Conservation International, I work across the organization to help our teams access the tools and technologies that they need to advance their work on the ground.Max Marcovitch is a senior writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work.</a>urn:uuid:0158cdfe-f30c-43e7-b216-8abbb6de98c6https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didn-t-know-about-sea-level-rise OceansScience5 things you didn’t know about sea-level riseIt’s indisputable: Around the world, seas are rising at a faster rate than at any time in recorded history. But there’s more to this story than you might realize.Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:40:38 ZIt’s indisputable: Around the world, seas are rising at a faster rate than at any time in recorded history. On average, sea levels are <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level" target="_blank">up to 9 inches</a> higher than they were in the late 1800s — and climate change is to blame.But there’s more to this story than you might realize. Here are a few facts about sea-level rise that you might not know.<h2>1. It’s not just the melting ice.</h2>Most of us know that rising global temperatures are melting glaciers and ice sheets, causing seas to rise. But that’s only part of the picture. There’s another, less visible driver: a process called <a href="https://sealevel.nasa.gov/understanding-sea-level/global-sea-level/thermal-expansion/" target="_blank">thermal expansion</a>. As the ocean absorbs heat, its molecules move faster and spread out, making the ocean swell in size even though no extra water is added.This phenomenon was behind nearly <a href="https://earth.org/sea-level-rise/" target="_blank">three-quarters</a> of sea-level rise during the 20th century. And between <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-climate-change-is-accelerating-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank">1993 and 2010</a>, ocean warming caused about a third of the total rise we saw during that time.So yes, melting ice matters. But the oceans themselves are also swelling with heat.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/nature-is-speaking-2/iceberg.jpg?sfvrsn=663e2d1c_10" alt="" sf-size="63992801" />© Andrew Luyten<h2>2. Seas aren’t rising at the same pace around the world.</h2>It might seem like all the oceans would rise evenly — after all, they’re connected like one giant bathtub.Of course, your bathtub probably doesn’t have shifting currents and stormy weather, which influence how ocean water moves — and where it ends up.But the biggest factor by far is <a href="https://sealevel.nasa.gov/faq/9/are-sea-levels-rising-the-same-all-over-the-world-as-if-were-filling-a-giant-bathtub/" target="_blank">gravity</a>, which has some unexpected pull:Earth’s mass isn’t spread out evenly. Big features — like mountain ranges, dense rock and especially ice sheets — create stronger gravitational pulls. Ice sheets, in particular, are so heavy they actually draw ocean water toward them, raising sea levels in nearby regions.But when those ice sheets melt, they lose mass — and their gravitational pull weakens. The water that was once drawn in starts to move away. Ironically, this means places close to melting ice, like Greenland or Antarctica, may see sea levels drop — while places farther away, like the U.S. East Coast, end up with more of that water and higher seas.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_84781277.jpg?sfvrsn=84097562_2" alt="ci_84781277" sf-size="2259244" />© robertharding / Alamy Stock Photo<h2>3. Some islands are in trouble — but not for the reason you might think.</h2>In the western Pacific, sea levels are rising <a href="https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/climate-change-transforms-pacific-islands" target="_blank">two to three times higher</a> than the global average.But <a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/as-seas-rise-tropical-pacific-islands-face-a-perfect-storm" target="_blank">experts say</a> some Pacific islands won’t become unlivable because they’re underwater — they’ll run out of fresh water first.Water is scarce on many low-lying Pacific islands to begin with. Most rely on a razor-thin “<a href="https://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/monument_features/physical_fresh_water_lens.html" target="_blank">lens</a>” of fresh water trapped underground beneath the island. This freshwater literally floats on top of salty seawater — sometimes it’s just a few inches thick.But as seas rise, they push up the salty water beneath the island, squeezing and flooding this fragile lens. Saltwater can seep into wells or break through the surface, making the island’s water too salty to drink.Scientists believe this will happen long before these islands are actually submerged. A <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aap9741" target="_blank">U.S. military-funded study</a> found that more than 1,000 low-lying islands could become uninhabitable by 2050 — not from flooding, but from thirst.Pacific Island countries know what’s coming and <a href="https://gem.spc.int/updates/blog/blog-post/2024/02/pacific-island-countries-come-together-to-discuss-water-scarcity-0#:~:text=Water%20is%20essential%20for%20life,(or%20Water%20Scarcity%20project)." target="_blank">are taking actions</a> to prepare themselves and improve their water security. But it’s a race against time.<h2>4. Seas could rise too fast for mangrove forests to keep up.</h2>Mangrove forests are tough. They thrive where few trees can — right at the ocean’s edge, rooted in salty water and soft mud. They buffer coastlines from storms, shelter marine life and store massive amounts of carbon in their tangled roots.But even mangroves can’t take everything the sea throws at them.<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02242-z" target="_blank">Recent research</a> shows that in some parts of the world, seas may be rising faster than mangroves can adapt. These forests usually survive by trapping sediment in their roots and building themselves upward — or slowly creeping inland. But when the water rises too quickly, or when development blocks their path, mangroves can drown.Without space to move or time to grow, even these salt-tolerant survivors may be overwhelmed.<img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_60738511.jpg?sfvrsn=4b206b94_12" alt="Red mangrove displaying impressive arching root system" sf-size="11311177" />© Jeff Yonover <hr />Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/mangroves-facts">11 facts you need to know about mangroves</a><hr /><h2>5. We can’t stop sea-level rise entirely — but we can shape what happens next.</h2>Some sea-level rise is now locked in. Even if we stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, the oceans will <a href="https://earth.gov/sealevel/about-sea-level-change/future-sea-level/the-basics" target="_blank">keep rising for centuries</a> due to the heat already stored in the system.But what we do today still matters. Cutting emissions, protecting coastal ecosystems like mangroves, and giving communities time and resources to adapt can mean the difference between manageable impacts — and devastating ones.Want to support work that protects coastlines and the people who depend on them? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">Here’s one way</a>.Will McCarry is the content director at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this?<a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe"> Sign up for email updates.</a> Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>. urn:uuid:45b21e20-2228-45e4-85a6-cf378a9c7ab1https://www.conservation.org/blog/a-climate-ally-needs-support-but-at-what-cost Climate ChangeBiodiversityA climate ally needs support — but at what cost?A Conservation International study finds key detail on restoring the world’s mangroves: a price tag.Thu, 03 Jul 2025 15:00:22 Z<div>For many years, mangroves were an underappreciated climate ally.Not anymore.For countries looking to meet their promised climate goals, mangroves have become an attractive investment. In just a single square mile, these coastal forests can hold as much <a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/mangroves-facts">climate-warming carbon</a> as the annual emissions of 90,000 cars. <a href="https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2022/07/06/climate-benefits-of-coastal-wetlands-and-coral-reefs-show-why-they-merit-protection-now" target="_blank">One report</a> found that every dollar spent protecting them could yield upwards of five dollars’ worth of additional benefits, such as food security and coastal protection from extreme storms.And there’s a lot of room for growth: Since 1980, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/mangroves">35 percent</a> of the world’s mangroves have been lost to coastal development, unsustainable aquaculture and sea-level rise.But the swelling interest in mangrove restoration has raised a critical question: How much does restoring mangroves cost?That question matters because there are limited resources to go around, said Jonah Busch, a former Conservation International fellow. And without a clear answer, targeting where to get the most bang for your buck is next to impossible.In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259033222500168X" target="_blank">new study</a>, Busch and Dane Klinger, Conservation International mangrove and aquaculture expert, unpack this question — and how to accelerate and improve restoration projects across the globe.Conservation News: Why did you do this research?Jonah Busch: Mangroves have emerged in recent years as an unsung hero of the climate and biodiversity crises. They’re extremely rich in carbon, act as nurseries for fisheries and protect coasts from storms and tsunamis.People have really woken up to their value — and as a result, there’s been a wave of restoration initiatives around the globe. This is fantastic, but now we’re entering the hard and practical work of getting this done. And one critical piece of information has been missing: How much does it cost to restore a mangrove forest?Individual projects have estimated costs in various places around the globe, but that information hadn’t been pulled together and synthesized to give a clear picture of the costs. So that’s what we did — we created a map that estimates the cost of mangrove restoration anywhere in the world based on what it’s cost others in comparable conditions. We combined this with a map of the amount of carbon mangroves in any given location will capture.Coastlines are extremely competitive places for land — think about all the pressure from the tourism and aquaculture industries, for example. With these maps, we can offer a clear picture of where a restoration project will get the best bang for its buck.What did the research find?JB: We found three key numbers: the area of mangroves that could be restored, how much carbon mangrove restoration would remove from the atmosphere, and, based on information from over 250 restoration projects, how much it would cost to do so.The amount of mangroves that the world has lost since 1996 equals about 1 million hectares — an area about the size of Jamaica. Restoring all those mangroves would pull roughly 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide — equivalent to 212 million cars driven for one year — out of the atmosphere. And the cost to accomplish that is roughly US$ 11 billion.Keep in mind that this cost is what we call implementation cost — essentially, everything associated with getting the trees in the ground and keeping them alive. It doesn’t include the costs of acquiring the land, which if needed, could up to triple the overall costs.Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico have the greatest potential for restoration at a decent price point — meaning, where the costs are lowest and the carbon capture potential is highest. Several factors determine whether the costs go up or down in a location. For example, the larger the area for restoration is, the lower the per-area costs, and the richer the country — in terms of national GDP per capita — the higher the costs. What the site was used for prior also affects the cost. If it was an aquaculture pond, for example, it’s cheaper to restore than if it was eroded land.What does this mean for mangrove restoration going forward?Dane Klinger: Put into context, this study shows that mangrove restoration is not prohibitively expensive. On average, it costs less than US$ 10,000 per hectare, that’s US$ 11 per ton of carbon kept out of the atmosphere. When you measure that against the benefits of healthy mangroves, it’s worth it.And while this study solely focuses on the carbon value of mangrove restoration, the monetary value of the biodiversity, storm protection and local livelihoods that mangroves support is enormous. One study estimated that mangroves provide <a href="https://www.oneearth.org/mangroves-and-the-cost-of-flooding/" target="_blank">US$ 65 billion annually</a> in flood protection alone.Yet globally, the resources available for mangrove restoration are currently much smaller than the need. With this research, our hope is to maximize the scarce resources for mangrove restoration by prioritizing restoration in locations where there are the greatest benefits at the least cost.Further reading: <ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/to-save-a-dying-forest-this-town-dug-in">To save a dying forest, this town dug in</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/can-shrimp-farming-restore-mangroves-this-scientist-is-making-it-happen">Can shrimp farming restore mangroves? This scientist is making it happen</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-ecuador-a-milestone-effort-to-protect-mangroves-and-people">In Ecuador, a ‘milestone’ effort to protect mangroves — and people</a></li></ul>Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates.</a> Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:7a704150-82be-4043-9d55-a4610897b50chttps://www.conservation.org/blog/in-age-of-extinction-we-need-your-creativity In age of extinction, ‘we need your creativity’“We need your creativity, we need your skills, we need your decency, we need your commitment to healing our planet,” said CEO M. Sanjayan during the commencement address at William & Mary.Mon, 19 May 2025 14:27:24 Z“Don't chase your dreams.”It’s unconventional advice for a commencement address — but these are unconventional times for new college graduates, Conservation International CEO M. Sanjayan told graduates of the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.<div data-sf-ec-immutable="" contenteditable="false" style="width:610px;height:375px;display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;"><div data-sf-disable-link-event=""><iframe width="610" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EPlqalQdBzg?si=_TgMLM6kyDkGp8Ge" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div>Sanjayan had been chosen to be the commencement speaker as part of the university’s “Year of the Environment,” during which William & Mary is renewing commitments to protect and restore nature, including launching a new coastal and marine sciences undergraduate degree.“We need your creativity, we need your skills, we need your decency, we need your commitment to healing our planet,” Sanjayan said. “Income inequality rivals the time of kings. Climate change today imposes a deadline on civilization that no amount of magical thinking will erase; physics simply won't allow it. It is understandable for you to be anxious about your future. The thrill of freedom must be now tempered with responsibility.“My best advice is this: Leave your dreams in your bed. Don't chase your dreams. Write your story.”Watch the full address <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/UBqo0LPmE8E?si=dp452-U5deaG96xC&t=5713" target="_blank">here</a>.Max Marcovitch is a senior writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>. urn:uuid:220d1aa0-4c74-4308-bf72-07f34f5ce31ahttps://www.conservation.org/blog/climate-change-charts-a-dangerous-course-for-the-worlds-largest-fish OceansClimate ChangeClimate change charts a dangerous course for the world's largest fishA Conservation International scientist shares what can be done to prevent an ‘outright alarming’ future for whale sharks.Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:38:59 ZWarmer oceans are putting two giants of the sea on a collision course. Even at the size of a school bus, whale sharks — the world’s largest fish — are no match for cargo ships in busy shipping lanes: When the two collide, the sharks always lose.And unfortunately, climate change will make deadly encounters more common, according to a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-02129-5#:~:text=Climate%2Ddriven%20global%20redistribution%20of,from%20shipping%20%7C%20Nature%20Climate%20Change" target="_blank">new study</a>.“Whale sharks' risk of being struck by these massive ships could increase dramatically if fossil fuel use continues to run wild — driving climate change and making our oceans <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01573-1">hotter than ever</a>,” said Conservation International marine biologist Mark Erdmann, a co-author of the study. “We already know these collisions are likely behind many whale shark deaths — these new findings are outright alarming for the future of the species.”Researchers used <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/whale-shark-tracker">satellite data</a> to track 348 whale sharks over 15 years. They then overlaid the sharks’ movements with global climate models and shipping routes to predict whether the gentle giants’ search for cooler waters would lead to more or fewer collisions.The study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that in every future climate scenario, the risk of fatal collisions rises: If greenhouse gas emissions surge unabated, that risk could increase by up to 43 percent by 2100. <img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/non-vault-images-s3/20230320-084309_dsc03229.jpg?sfvrsn=edef8f34_3" alt="" sf-size="62911583" />© Mark Erdmann The reasons behind whale sharks' dramatic decline stumped researchers for years.  Whale sharks are among the marine species <a href="https://www.scrippsnews.com/science-and-tech/animals-and-insects/climate-change-threatens-endangered-whale-sharks" target="_blank">most vulnerable</a> to climate change. They are currently found in tropical to temperate waters, but their range is expected to shift up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) toward the North and South Poles as they seek cooler waters. The study identified coastal areas near the western United States, Sierra Leone and the eastern China Sea as future collision hotspots, as whale sharks are likely to migrate to those waters — which are also some of the world’s busiest shipping routes. The study’s results offer other insights into whale sharks, whose populations have struggled in recent decades. Erdmann said the findings are helping scientists piece together what’s behind their decline — and what the future may hold for this endangered species. <h2>Where did all the whale sharks go? </h2>Over the past 75 years, whale shark populations have declined by more than <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19488/2365291">50 percent</a>. Overfishing, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, is largely to blame. Whale sharks were prized for their meat in some Asian countries, even nicknamed “<a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhincodon_typus/" target="_blank">tofu shark</a>” because of their spongy white flesh. Yet by the early 2000s, many countries recognized whale sharks’ economic value in generating <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2012/02/07/whale-sharks#:~:text=Whale%20shark%20(Rhincodon%20typus)&text=In%20regions%20where%20whale%20sharks,%2447.5%20million%20worldwide%20each%20year.">ecotourism</a>, prompting many places to crack down on unsustainable fishing and create explicit protections for whale sharks. One study found that whale shark tourism in Ningaloo, Western Australia, was worth US$ 19 million per year, while another study valued whale shark tourism to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, at US$ 14 million annually. Today, whale sharks are protected in nearly every country within their range. Yet despite decades of protection, their populations continue to decline. “Scientists were scratching their heads wondering what the heck was going on,” Erdmann said. “That’s when we began to suspect that something more insidious was going on that we weren’t seeing.” A breakthrough came in 2022, when a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2117440119">study</a> from Erdmann and his colleagues confirmed what other scientists had begun to suspect: Whale sharks were regularly crossing paths with ships — with deadly results. That study found a 92 percent overlap between whale shark routes and shipping lanes. It revealed that a quarter of the whale sharks tracked by satellites stopped transmitting signals when they entered the busiest shipping areas. “Satellite tags would be happily pinging on whale sharks — then they would swim into a shipping lane and suddenly they’re gone,” Erdmann said. “Those ships move at high speeds and can be the size of a football field. It’s likely they’re mowing over whale sharks without even knowing it.” Though collisions happen with other species, such as whales and dolphins, whale sharks are uniquely vulnerable, he said: They’re slow and they like to linger near the surface to feed on plankton.<img src="https://d2iwpl8k086uu2.cloudfront.net/images/default-source/non-vault-images-s3/20230319-080848_dsc01613.jpg?sfvrsn=52f79855_3" alt="" sf-size="35046385" />© Mark Erdmann Slow moving and surface feeders, whale sharks are uniquely vulnerable to collisions with large ships.<h2>A clear solution </h2>Thankfully, Erdmann said, there is a clear solution to the problem — and it’s already helping protect endangered whale species: Slow down. “If we can get industrial ships to slow down in areas with a high risk for collisions, we can make a big difference,” he said. “And we already have a template. It’s been done to protect whales for many years.” For example, in the United States, all vessels 65 feet or longer are required to slow down in some locations along the East Coast during certain times of year to lower the risk of collisions with the endangered <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/endangered-species-conservation/reducing-vessel-strikes-north-atlantic-right-whales#:~:text=PDF%2C%201197%20pages)-,Current%20Vessel%20Speed%20Restrictions,speed%20zone%2C%20and%20vessel%20type.">North Atlantic right whale</a>. The 2022 study found that restricting speeds to less than 10 knots (19 kilometers per hour) reduced the likelihood of whale shark fatalities by more than 50 percent. Researchers hope the findings from both studies will help enact similar policies to protect whale sharks, Erdmann said. Countries have the power to enforce speed limits in designated areas of their waters, Erdmann said. And in some cases, adjusting the location of the shipping lane by 10-15 kilometers (6-9 miles) could significantly reduce collisions. “This study is further proof that climate change can make human-caused problems even worse for wildlife,” he said. “We have the data and the tools to change the outcome. Now, we must act."<hr />Further reading:<ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/new-study-dives-into-whats-killing-the-worlds-largest-fish-and-more">New study dives into what's killing the world's largest fish</a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/deep-dive-new-findings-from-our-whale-shark-watchers">Deep dive: New findings from our whale shark watchers</a></li></ul><hr />Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.urn:uuid:f960772d-b1ed-4ef5-95cd-61205923ed98https://www.conservation.org/blog/with-new-discovery-island-nation-turns-page-on-a-painful-legacy BiodiversityWith new discovery, island nation turns page on a painful legacyScientists recently discovered a new species of gecko. As remarkable as that discovery was, it signified something more: a fresh approach to conservation in a nation historically marked by foreign intrusion and exploitation.Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:27:02 Z<div>Nathan Conaboy’s day had taken an unexpected turn, and he now found himself in a distant cavern, searching for geckos.He and a band of scientists had set out one morning in August to survey wildlife. When monsoon rains washed out the road they were traveling on, the team decided to make the most of it — and stay dry — by poking around a nearby cave they had initially not planned to visit. Conaboy, a conservation biologist with Conservation International, had joined the expedition to <a href="https://www.conservation.org/timor-leste/home">Timor-Leste</a> — a small island nation nestled between Australia and Indonesia that is home to some of the least studied ecosystems on Earth. The journey was the first of its kind in many years — and turned up a fortuitous find. At the cave’s entrance, Conaboy — alongside scientists from Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and Timorese officials — passed through a low arch, adorned with patterns painted by prehistoric artists from a millennia ago. He had stepped into a secluded offshoot of an extensive cave system known as <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rock-art-at-nino-konis-santana-national-park" target="_blank">Lene Hara</a>, renowned for its archeological significance. As he ventured further, human faces carved into the stone peered at him from across the ages.<h6 style="text-align:center;"><img sf-custom-thumbnail="true" src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/cave.png?sfvrsn=4b5a1b54_5" style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;margin-bottom:4px;" sf-constrain-proportions="true" class="-align-center" width="400" alt="" sf-size="360368" />Prehistoric artists etched human faces into the walls of the Lene Hara cave system a millennia ago. © Nathan Conaboy</h6>“The passage gradually expands into this bulbous chamber,” Conaboy said. “It was easy to imagine people once living there in the ancient past.”But Conaboy was not there for a glimpse into the lives of ancient people, instead fixating on the bats swirling above and spiders crawling around his boots on the cave floor. <a href="https://chankinonn.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Chan Kin Onn</a>, a herpetologist from the museum, saw something else: a gecko skittering across the limestone. Onn wedged himself between the rocks and lunged. It was a near miss. But Onn had a hunch that the gecko might be a species new to science. The team decided to go back to the cave later that night, when geckos are most active. Led by flashlight, they traversed the cave, eyes locked on the ground. Within an hour, they saw unmistakable, darting shapes — 10 individuals of a previously unknown species of bent-toed gecko. The team named it <a href="https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Cyrtodactylus&species=santana&search_param=%28%28taxon%3D%27Gekkonidae%27%29%29" target="_blank">Cyrtodactylus santana</a> in tribute to Nino Konis Santana National Park, where the encounter took place.<h6 style="text-align:right;"><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/oo_794108.jpg?sfvrsn=488f7a0d_5" alt="" sf-size="1407418" />The new species of bent-toed gecko was found in the Lene Hara cave system. © Tan Heok Hui</h6>The gecko's new name held added significance as one of the expedition’s Timorese team members was the nephew of the park's namesake — Nino Konis Santana, a revered war hero in the nation's long struggle for independence. As remarkable as the gecko's discovery was, it signified something more: a fresh approach to conservation in a nation historically marked by foreign intrusion and exploitation.An evolving history Nestled between Australia and Indonesia, Timor-Leste is one of the world’s youngest countries. Its name, derived from the Indonesian, Malay and Portuguese words for "east," reflects a history marked by diverse cultures and colonization.But even as the nation’s modern era has been defined by outside influence, its biodiversity was formed through isolation. Deep-water straits have separated Timor-Leste from the continental shelves of Asia and Australia for millions of years, giving rise to numerous species found nowhere else on the planet. Timor-Leste is on the southern edge of Southeast Asia's <a href="https://theconversation.com/wallacea-a-living-laboratory-of-evolution-85602" target="_blank">Wallacea</a> region — a cluster of ecologically unique islands named in honor of the Victorian-era naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who independently conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection. <h6 style="text-align:right;"><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/oo_794102.jpg?sfvrsn=7212f576_5" alt="" sf-size="685144" />Timor-Leste is part of Wallacea, a region known as a living laboratory of evolution. © Chan, Grismer, Santana, Pinto, Loke, Conaboy</h6>Like his contemporary Charles Darwin’s famous voyage to the Galapagos, Wallace's explorations across Timor and neighboring islands ignited his pathbreaking work.“To this day, Wallace represents our baseline scientific understanding of this part of the world. He spent so much time here and discovered so many species,” said former Conservation International expert Frances Loke, who also joined the expedition.But much about Timor-Leste has changed since. After 500 years of Portuguese colonial rule, the country fell under Indonesian control from 1975 to 1999 before eventually gaining its independence and becoming a democracy. Still, its past left a legacy.“Timor-Leste has experienced a long history of colonialism that not only affected the kind of nature that we see there, but also the kinds of structures in place to study and protect nature,” Loke said. “For years the country has been plagued by what we call ‘helicopter science’ — international scientists going in and paying off local guides, extracting specimens without any proper authority or due credit for local communities.”Perhaps the most controversial example of this unfolded in 2011, when a team from the Australian National University in Canberra chanced upon two fragmented shell fishhooks within a limestone cave in the island's northern region. The hooks traced their origins to the period between 21,000 and 16,000 BCE and then represented the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2011.9461" target="_blank">earliest known fishhooks in existence</a>.“These artifacts were taken from Timor-Leste with very limited or no approvals,” Conaboy said. "And the Timorese people are unable to access them because they are stored away in an Australian museum."<h6 style="text-align:right;"><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_47612899_full.jpg?sfvrsn=e981b0f3_1" alt="" sf-size="2781623" />Clouds drift and shadow the rocky shores of Timor-Leste. © Conservation International/photo by Yasushi Hibi</h6>By 2020, the Timorese government put a full stop on scientific research involving the removal of artifacts and specimens from the country. Conservation International spent years working to find a way for new research to continue through proper channels. “From the very start, we wanted to stress the importance of Timor-Leste asserting its ownership and guardianship over its biodiversity,” Conaboy said. “At the same time, there’s a widely recognized acknowledgment that Timor-Leste lacks the necessary facilities to store what are known as <a href="https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/from-the-collections-posts/just-our-types-a-short-guide-to-type-specimens" target="_blank">holotypes</a> — specimens that scientists carefully choose to represent the primary example of a newly discovered species.”In August 2020, the Timorese government and Singapore’s <a href="https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/" target="_blank">Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum</a> struck a research partnership — with the museum now serving as a regional hub for housing and preserving specimens from Timor-Leste."The scoping expedition really marked the inaugural journey under the agreement,” Conaboy said. “It represents the beginning of a genuine and mutually advantageous partnership — one that respects Timor-Leste's history and can contribute to shaping its future." Now that the gecko’s holotype has made its way into the collection at Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, the team is planning to return to Timor-Leste for a larger, more comprehensive expedition. “We have to make the case for conservation now,” Loke said. “Otherwise, these ecosystems could be destroyed before we even know what species are there.”Will McCarry is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.</div>urn:uuid:4322ebb5-132c-4640-a4ed-7005d376a5b0https://www.conservation.org/blog/3-ways-indigenous-knowledge-protects-nature Communities3 ways Indigenous knowledge protects natureOn International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Conservation News is highlighting three stories about Indigenous peoples on the frontlines of protecting the nature they rely on.Wed, 09 Aug 2023 13:31:01 ZDespite representing <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/can-indigenous-land-stewardship-protect-biodiversity-" target="_blank">less than 5 percent of the world’s population</a>, Indigenous Peoples steward more than a quarter of Earth’s land and seas and protect a significant share of Earth’s biodiversity.<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332221003572" target="_blank">Studies show</a> that when Indigenous Peoples have the right to govern their land, biodiversity increases and forests are protected.On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Conservation News is highlighting three stories about Indigenous Peoples on the frontlines of protecting the nature they rely on.<h2>A sweet sisterhood</h2>Meliponas are not your average bee. They are tiny and stingless. And Indigenous communities in the Amazon have <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-3-indigenous-women-fighting-for-the-future-of-the-amazon" target="_blank">used their medicinal honey</a> for centuries to ward off microbial and fungal infections. Plus, they are critical for plant pollination and regrowing forests.For countless generations, people have relied on Melipona bees — now the tables are turning. The bees are under threat from deforestation, pesticides and climate change, and Indigenous women are working to ensure that their ancestral knowledge helps them survive.With support from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/about/fellowships/women-fellowship-opportunity-for-indigenous-women-leaders-in-environmental-solutions-in-the-amazon">Conservation International’s Amazonia Indigenous Women’s Fellowship Program</a> — which provides funding, training and networking opportunities for women to lead conservation in their territories — beekeepers are sharing their traditional knowledge and improving their technical skills. In a workshop earlier this year, six women from Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador shared their experiences in protecting the bees and learned about hive infrastructure and how the queen bees and males function.The society of bees teaches us to live in connection, in respect, in synergy. Living from what nature gives us and at the same time, contributing to nature.Amazonia Indigenous Women’s Fellow Katty Guatatoca, a beekeeper from the Kichwa Indigenous community in Ecuador<iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Cp8ItStdBA" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin">&amp;nbsp;</iframe><h2>Protecting an iconic African landscape</h2>Mutarian Ntanin was born and raised in southeast Kenya’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/restoration-in-kenyas-chyulu-hills">Chyulu Hills</a> — an expanse of savannas, woodlands and cloud forests where he tends livestock like generations of Maasai before him.But over the course of his lifetime, Ntanin has witnessed dramatic changes. Dense forests have been cleared to <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/in-kenyas-storied-hills-traditional-ways-confront-a-modern-problem-climate-change" target="_blank">make way for agriculture</a>, degrading the numerous springs and rivers that supply water for 7 million people, plus livestock and wildlife — including, critically-endangered black rhinos and Kenya’s largest elephant population.If you save the environment, you are saving your life.Mutarian Ntanin, Maasai Elder, Chyulu Hills, KenyaTo protect the land, local communities joined Conservation International, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and other partners in a <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/what-on-earth-is-redd" target="_blank">United Nations-backed initiative</a> that provides financial incentives to keep forests intact.“As an elder, I always tell my children, ‘If you save the environment, you are saving your life,’” Ntanin said. “I trust that nature can heal itself. But this will not be possible if we do it in isolation.”The <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/when-covid-flattened-tourism-carbon-credits-kept-these-african-hills-green" target="_blank">forest-carbon project</a> is helping to conserve and restore 404,000 hectares (1 million acres) of land, while generating much-needed investments in local communities — from setting up an emergency food program for schoolchildren to improving village health services to supporting new opportunities for incomes.“Chyulu Hills is our bank for future generations,” he added. “People see there is a future in the environment.”<iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ELEodEtoJMg" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin">&amp;nbsp;</iframe><h2>Making big waves for marine conservation</h2>In Fiji, Indigenous Peoples make up just 1 percent of the population — but they recently helped launch an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/the-lau-seascape">ambitious plan to conserve over a quarter of the country’s expansive ocean area</a>, which is increasingly threatened by climate change and overfishing.A partnership between traditional leaders, the national government, Conservation International and others seeks to balance communities’ livelihoods with marine protections in the Fijian province of Lau, a remote archipelago of more than 60 islands. The plan is to protect the fragile ecosystem, while supporting sustainable local economies.This island chain is a waypoint for migrating marine species like whales. Its reefs are a breeding ground for endangered green and hawksbill turtles, and provide livelihoods for the people of Lau, whose cultures are based on a symbiotic relationship with the ocean.“All of the islands, reefs and everything that we own is recognized in this undertaking, in this spirit of love and kindness,” said Roko Josefa Cinavilakeba, Paramount Chief of Totoya, an island in the Lau archipelago. “To ensure no person, area, plant and animal is forgotten ... so our children may also have a good future.”<iframe width="100%" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-yz8otxF75Y" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin">&amp;nbsp;</iframe>This post originally published on August 9, 2023.Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.urn:uuid:e22e9254-cd3c-4e8e-b9f2-5103fa392fd9https://www.conservation.org/blog/5-things-you-didnt-know-sharks-do-for-you BiodiversityOceans5 things you didn’t know sharks do for youSharks have long been cast as villains in popular culture — ruthless predators terrorizing beachgoers. In truth, the real danger isn’t to us, but to them.Fri, 26 Jul 2019 13:45:03 ZSharks have long been cast as villains in popular culture — ruthless predators terrorizing beachgoers. In truth, the real danger isn’t to us, but to them.Sharks rarely <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/26/well/shark-season-attacks-survival-tips.html" target="_blank">attack people</a>, yet humans kill an estimated <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks/about-sharks/threats-to-sharks/" target="_blank">100 million</a> of them every year. Over the last half century, shark and ray populations have <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-03173-9" target="_blank">dropped 71 percent</a>, largely due to increased fishing pressure. This isn’t just bad news for sharks — it threatens the balance of entire ocean ecosystems.Without sharks, the ocean would look entirely different — with far-reaching effects, including for people. Here’s why:<h2>1. Sharks keep the food web in check.</h2>Many shark species, such as the great white and bull shark, sit atop the food chain. By targeting fish that are weak, sick and aging, they help keep schools resilient and strong — and, in turn, support ocean health.When sharks are wiped out from a habitat, the prey-predator balance can crumble: <a href="https://www.aims.gov.au/information-centre/news-and-stories/sharks-increase-reef-resilience#:~:text=Healthy%20shark%20populations%20may%20aid,of%20Marine%20Science%20(AIMS)." target="_blank">One study found</a> that in coral reefs, fewer sharks led to greater numbers of mid-level predators that feed on algae-eating fish. Algae soon overtook the reef system, suffocating the coral and diminishing its ability to recover from bleaching and other threats. In Indonesia, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/how-an-extraordinary-new-effort-is-giving-sharks-a-fighting-chance">a project</a> from Conservation International is aiming to correct this imbalance by doing something that’s never been done before: releasing captive-bred sharks into the wild.Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/how-an-extraordinary-new-effort-is-giving-sharks-a-fighting-chance">How an extraordinary new effort is giving sharks a fighting chance</a><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/default-album/ci_360048696aa4db3d-4d4e-4268-83fa-d1fff3e2e01b.jpg?sfvrsn=b54cb089_3" alt="" sf-size="14602638" />© Rodolphe Holler Sharks are slow breeders and the target of intense overfishing — a recipe for extinction.<h2>2. Sharks may be key to fighting cancer.</h2>Sharks have been around for a long time — the earliest evidence goes back <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/shark-evolution-a-450-million-year-timeline.html" target="_blank">450 million years</a>, making them older than trees. Over that vast span of time, their cells have evolved ways to repair DNA damage more efficiently, keeping their genomes stable and helping them recover from injuries. This may help them resist some age-related diseases, including certain cancers.Scientists are currently studying the genetic makeup of both <a href="https://www.med.wisc.edu/news/uw-expert-launches-cancer-research-using-sharks/" target="_blank">nurse sharks</a> and <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-47291697" target="_blank">great whites</a> to see if they can mimic this effect in humans to help treat cancer.<h2>3. Sharks help capture carbon.</h2>Carbon is the foundation of life on Earth, but human activities like deforestation and fossil-fuel use are pumping extra carbon into the atmosphere, fueling climate change. Sharks play an important role in keeping more carbon stored deep within the ocean and out of the atmosphere.For example, by <a href="https://animatingcarbon.earth/sharks-apex-predators-boost-marine-carbon-storage" target="_blank">preying on species</a> that graze on <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/an-overlooked-climate-ally-is-in-deep-trouble">seagrass meadows</a> and <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/news-spotlight-could-seaweed-be-our-new-big-climate-ally">kelp forests</a>, tiger sharks help keep these habitats healthy and productive. In turn, these ecosystems continue to capture and store large amounts of carbon.Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/an-overlooked-climate-ally-is-in-deep-trouble">An overlooked climate ally is in deep trouble</a>Research also shows that sharks, like other large marine animals, hold a considerable amount of carbon in their bodies — roughly <a href="https://www.ifaw.org/journal/sharks-keep-oceans-healthy" target="_blank">10 to 15 percent</a> of their body mass. When they die, their bodies sink to the bottom of the ocean, where that carbon can be locked away for centuries instead of re-entering the atmosphere.<h2>4. Sharks boost local economies.</h2>In recent decades, shark tourism has grown into an economic powerhouse, generating more than <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/shark-facts">US$ 300 million</a> every year and supporting thousands of jobs in coastal towns — from the Bahamas to South Africa to the Galápagos Islands. If sharks disappear, so would many communities’ income streams.On the flip side, sharks' undeserved reputation as cold-blooded killers can sometimes scare tourists away. And methods that attempt to prevent sharks from entering beaches, like shark nets, are both highly ineffective and <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-shark-nets-under-fire-after-data-reveals-shocking-death/3ef382f0-76a2-4266-b8ea-9fd14f274cfb" target="_blank">catastrophic for marine life</a>. <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-the-startup-using-magnets-keep-sharks-at-bay">SharkSafe Barriers</a>, an investee of <a href="https://www.conservation.org/projects/conservation-international-ventures-llc">CI Ventures</a> (Conservation International's investment arm), is working to ease those fears with an innovative approach. Using barriers that mimic thick kelp forests, which sharks naturally tend to avoid, and magnets, which overwhelm sharks’ senses, they’re able to protect beachgoers' peace of mind, while ensuring sharks can swim safely offshore.Further reading: <a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-the-startup-using-magnets-keep-sharks-at-bay">Meet the startup using magnets to keep sharks at bay</a><img src="https://www.conservation.org/images/default-source/temp/copy-of-daniel-bothelo---2.jpg?sfvrsn=346d6d82_1" alt="" sf-size="7930187" />© Daniel BotheloSharkSafe Barriers mimics a kelp forest and uses powerful magnets to deter sharks.<h2>5. Sharks inspire smart design.</h2>One of sharks' most notable attributes is their speed — the world’s fastest shark, the shortfin mako, can reach speeds up to 74 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour), owing to small scales on their skin called denticles that decrease drag and turbulence. Scientists have borrowed this “technology” in a <a href="https://illumin.usc.edu/from-shark-skin-to-speed/" target="_blank">variety of ways</a> — from designing sleeker swimsuits for competitive swimmers to developing a paint for airplanes that researchers say could save up to 4.5 million tons of fuel per year. Want to support work that protects sharks? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">Here’s one way</a>.Further reading: <ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/meet-the-startup-using-magnets-keep-sharks-at-bay">Meet the startup using magnets to keep sharks at bay </a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/how-an-extraordinary-new-effort-is-giving-sharks-a-fighting-chance">How an extraordinary new effort is giving sharks ‘a fighting chance’ </a></li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/climate-change-charts-a-dangerous-course-for-the-worlds-largest-fish">Climate change charts a dangerous course for the world's largest fish</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/indonesia-protects-walking-sharks-are-other-sharks-next">Indonesia protects ‘walking sharks.’ Are other sharks next?</a></li></ul>Editor's note: This post originally published in June, 2016.Mary Kate McCoy is a staff writer at Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>. urn:uuid:58ff92f4-1f9e-4e30-b09c-03b42aeaee99https://www.conservation.org/blog/3-reasons-elephants-make-the-best-mothers Biodiversity3 reasons elephants make the best mothersOn this Mother’s Day, here are three reasons why elephants make some of the best mothers.Fri, 19 Jul 2019 02:37:00 ZThis post was updated on August 18, 2021.Elephant mothers carry their babies for <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/mammals-have-extremely-diverse-pregnancies-heres-why" target="_blank">nearly two years</a> before giving birth. Then they ensure their babies get the best food, teach their children the most useful skills and show their children how to lead the herd during hard times.Elephants recognize that their mothers know best — the herds are matriarchal. The oldest female elephant plays a key role in controlling the social network of the group and in ensuring the survival of the family.Not all elephant families are so fortunate: When their mothers are lost to poaching or to human-wildlife conflict, young orphaned elephants stand little chance in the wild. Now, organizations like Reteti Elephant Sanctuary — the first community-owned elephant orphanage in Africa, and the subject of the new Conservation International film “<a href="https://www.conservation.org/stories/virtual-reality/my-africa" rel="noopener" target="_blank">My Africa</a>” — are filling the gap. By raising orphaned elephants for release back into the wild, the sanctuary offers a glimmer of hope that this threatened species can continue to thrive.Far better, of course, to stop poaching and conflict in the first place — and allow young elephants to learn from some of the busiest mothers on the planet. On this Mother’s Day, here are three reasons why elephants make some of the best mothers.<h2>1. Elephant mothers produce the best meals</h2>A baby elephant adds about <a href="https://www.livescience.com/27320-elephants.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two pounds of bodyweight</a> each day after birth. An elephant mother’s milk changes four times during the weaning process to meet the baby’s needs.At Kenya’s Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, keepers have to make sure that orphaned elephants get the nutrients they need, using a precise feeding program specialized for each elephant. Each bottle is different for each elephant, and keepers must feed the elephants eight times a day to keep them healthy. The best substitute for a mother elephant’s milk? Human baby formula, which is fortified with protein, fat and vitamins.During the painful teething process, an elephant mother’s milk adapts to soothe the baby: Mother elephants will change their diets to include plants with anti-inflammatory properties to help the baby cope with incoming teeth. At the sanctuary, keepers use their knowledge of local plants to administer natural medicines to mimic the same types of nutrition.<h2>2. Elephant mothers are the best teachers</h2>Elephants learn how to pick the best plants for eating, how to defend against predators and how to navigate steep embankments — all <a href="https://www.elephantvoices.org/elephant-sense-a-sociality-4/elephants-learn-from-others.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">from their mothers</a>.At Reteti, keepers focus on introducing the young elephants to their natural surroundings in hopes of eventually returning them to the wild. Some of this information can’t be taught by the human keepers alone.This is where Shaba comes in.The oldest female elephant at the sanctuary, <a href="https://www.retetielephants.org/shaba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shaba</a> arrived when she was 15 months old, after her parents were killed by poachers. Now at almost age three, she has taken on the role of matriarch for the Reteti herd, leading the herd every day on its walk about the bush and greeting every new orphaned elephant when they arrive. This way, even the orphaned elephants have a female role model to lead the way.<h2>3. Elephant matriarchs are the best leaders</h2>During times of drought, when animals’ usual water sources dry up, the oldest female elephants can lead their herd hundreds of miles to water they visited years before — because they remember the locations. Elephant herds with older, larger matriarchs <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/what-elephants-can-teach-us-about-the-importance-of-female-leadership/2014/01/27/32db3f5e-7eeb-11e3-95c6-0a7aa80874bc_story.html?utm_term=.6861e687c814" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tend to fare better</a> during times of crisis, because they have longer memories.Sometimes the water source no longer exists, or human development gets in the way. By collaring elephants and tracking their movements, conservationists are learning more about elephant migrations to protect the animals’ water sources and minimize human conflict.Organizations use <a href="http://www.savetheelephants.org/project/tracking-real-time-monitoring/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GPS tracking equipment</a> to learn about elephants’ behaviors and movements in real-time. Aside from gathering more data about elephants’ needs, this technology can save an elephant’s life: When the researchers notice that a particular elephant becomes unusually immobile, this could mean that an elephant is being attacked by poachers. The researchers then send text messages to nearby rangers who can investigate — and potentially stop — poachers from harming the elephant.Feeding, teaching, leading: It’s all in a day’s work for elephant moms.<hr /><h2>Further reading</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/4-things-you-didnt-know-elephants-do-for-you">4 things you didn’t know elephants do for you</a></li></ul><hr />Morgan Lynch is a staff writer for Conservation International. Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.urn:uuid:2de1d92c-f1cd-4f4f-9ec6-ad6ce0500caahttps://www.conservation.org/blog/why-indigenous-rights-matter Climate ChangeCommunitiesWhy Indigenous rights matterIndigenous Peoples’ interest in conservation is profound — but often overlooked.Sat, 09 Mar 2019 20:22:40 ZEditor’s note: Recent years have brought a growing acknowledgment of Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, rights and roles in protecting nature. Yet this recognition has remained slower to gain traction outside of conservation and development circles. In this interview, originally published in 2016, Minnie Degawan, the former director of Conservation International’s Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program, sheds some light on the challenges that Indigenous Peoples face with respect to nature conservation.Question: In an increasingly globalized world where national boundaries are less important, why do Indigenous groups deserve special treatment or recognition?Answer: Let’s be clear: Indigenous Peoples do not ask for special rights or treatment. Rather, they seek recognition of their contributions in sustainably managing their territories for generations — a recognition of the fact that they have been subjected and continue to be subjected to the worst forms of oppression through land dispossession. This then destroys the basis of their knowledge systems, which can be sources of knowledge for dealing with challenges related to climate change.Indigenous Peoples are victims of climate change, and yet <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/indigenous-leaders-traditional-knowledge-can-save-the-planet">they have knowledge developed from years of interacting with the environment</a> that could benefit humanity; they want to partner with others in finding solutions, but it has to be a just partnership.Q: What is perhaps the biggest challenge facing Indigenous Peoples throughout the world?A: Indigenous Peoples face a number of challenges. I’d say the biggest might be the loss of their lands, either because of natural causes such as sea-level rise or because of encroachment due to aggressive development. Globally, Indigenous Peoples call for the recognition and respect of their land rights over their territories because their lands define them — without the land, they cease to be Indigenous. Their knowledge systems, cultures and governance systems are all rooted on their lands. This is why expanding protected areas can be problematic — really, the only possible areas where protected areas can be established are in Indigenous territories, so there is that threat of land dispossession. When Indigenous Peoples say they want access to policymakers and resources, it is all geared at gaining legal recognition for their rights.Climate change is another major challenge for Indigenous Peoples. In fact, they often feel that they are being doubly victimized — they have contributed little to the causes of climate change and yet they bear the brunt of the impacts.Even efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change tend to victimize Indigenous Peoples, as is the case in the building of alternative energy sources. For instance, the building of windmills in Indigenous territories without their consent results in the communities being deprived of land which they can use to produce food, as was the case of a proposed project in the Cordillera region of the Philippines, where the communities rejected the plan. Projects like these are especially damaging if the electricity to be generated does not benefit the community.Q: Why is it better for forested or largely undeveloped natural areas to be controlled by Indigenous People?A: The argument being posed by Indigenous Peoples is that since they have managed these areas for generations, they are in a better position than outsiders to continue to do so. Additionally, because of the relationship of Indigenous Peoples and the land, its conservation is better ensured if they have rights over it. If they know they will not be evicted, they will endeavor to make it more productive for their children.And we have evidence that this approach works: Studies have shown that <a href="http://www.cifor.org/library/3461/community-managed-forests-and-forest-protected-areas-an-assessment-of-their-conservation-effectiveness-across-the-tropics/?pub=3461" target="_blank">forested areas managed by local communities see less deforestation</a> than protected forests.Q: What hopes do you have for global policy processes (such as the Paris Agreement or the Sustainable Development Goals) to positively impact Indigenous Peoples in the future?A: International agreements and treaties become relevant to Indigenous Peoples if the Indigenous groups know about them and can have a say in their implementation.Often, Indigenous communities have no knowledge of these agreements, and some do not desire to participate in international processes, finding it too detached from their realities. In many cases, Indigenous Peoples would know about such processes only when they are negatively impacted. For instance, in the desire to establish more protected areas, Indigenous Peoples are impacted because it is their lands that will be targeted. So unless there is a systematic effort to disseminate this information to the communities, Indigenous Peoples will not be able to benefit from them.Q: How does your organization promote Indigenous rights?A: Conservation International recognizes the contributions of Indigenous communities to conservation efforts and works in partnership with communities. We were one of the first organizations to develop a policy for partnering with Indigenous Peoples, and we build respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights in all of our work.One of the ways we do this is through an Indigenous fellowship program that provides a unique opportunity for emerging Indigenous leaders to strengthen their leadership potential. It enables them to do research that is respectful of the traditions of their communities yet equips them with the tools to navigate the complex world of international policy making processes, such as through direct participation in international meetings.<hr /><h2>Further reading:</h2><ul><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/indigenous-leaders-traditional-knowledge-can-save-the-planet">Indigenous leaders: Traditional knowledge can save the planet</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/murders-of-environmental-activists-reflect-chronic-clashes-over-resource-use">Murders of environmental activists reflect chronic clashes over resource use</a></li></ul><hr />Minnie Degawan is the former director of Conservation International’s Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Program, whose <a target="_blank" href="https://www.conservation.org/about/fellowships/indigenous-leaders-conservation-fellowship">Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship</a> is now accepting applications. Bruno Vander Velde is Conservation International’s editorial director.Want to read more stories like this? <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act/subscribe">Sign up for email updates</a>. Also, <a href="https://www.conservation.org/act">please consider supporting our critical work</a>.